“Your duty is not to escalate any situation” – Top Cop to 27 new Constables

The Guyana Police Force on Friday welcomed 27 new Constables into its ranks at a simple graduation ceremony held for the new Constables at the Officers’ Training Centre Headquarters at Eve Leary.
The ranks are the successful graduates of Recruit Course 387. The batch was drawn from various communities within Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) to which they will be reposted, in various departments including immigration, CID, and general duties.
Speaking at the ceremony, Commissioner of Police (ag), Clifton Hicken congratulated all of the ranks and applauded them for overcoming the physical and mental fatigue while becoming policemen in the noble organisation.
He told the new ranks that on entering the Force, they now take on challenges as policemen and policewomen and urged them to remain committed to the motto of the Force: “Service and Protection.”
“So you are integrated into the Guyana Police Force and you are the catalyst for change group. It is expected that you act and operate as ambassadors of the Guyana Police Force, irrespective of the region you are placed…you understand the culture, you understand the dialect and you understand the way things are being conducted in that area. You are now policemen and women,” the Commissioner is quoted by the press unit of the GPF as saying.
The Top Cop noted that the five to six months the recruits spent in training helped significantly in them understanding each other’s culture while sharing values as they progressed through their training programme.
“You are leaving to return to your areas of responsibility with a new sense of value and increased knowledge but more importantly, focusing on a safer community for your family and friends and generally the population of Region Nine,” the Top Cop stated.
He went on to say, “You are the faces of the Force, you are the broader side of the pyramid,” as he related how pleased he was with their academic performances. Along that line, he noted that the GPF intends to further build a Force that is representative of the citizens of Guyana.
“Your duty is not to escalate any situation but rather de-escalate that issue. You should create an atmosphere where you are well respected in your communities, you are to create an atmosphere where you assume leadership,” Commissioner Hicken stated.
With this, he said the new contemporary Police Force must be evidence-based if the Force is to transition from a Guyana Police Force to a Guyana Police Service. The Top Cop also encouraged the new ranks to “avoid operating in isolation”.
Hicken charged the ranks to uphold the values of the organisation, later reminding them that, “in and out of uniform, ethical standards must be maintained at all times”. He also charged them to “make the Guyana Police Force proud, make the Guyana Police Force contemporary, lift the standards in the way you interact with the general public, and maintain that level of professionalism in and out of uniform”.
“You decide your journey in the organisation as an individual. So, whatever you do, you will be judged. We prepared you adequately with the tools you need to use to get the job done. It is now your responsibility to identify the tools needed to perform your specific roles,” the Top Cop noted in closing.
In brief remarks, Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ (ag) Calvin Brutus reminded the newly coined Constables that conduct follows them throughout their career. He also noted that they should avoid being on the wrong side of the law.
“The environment to which you are going you saw through the eyes of a civilian but now you will be viewing the community and society through the eyes of Law Enforcement with keen eyes to maintain and build partnerships already established by the Police Force. So strive to ensure that you maintain law and order to meet the mandate of the organisation and your communities as well,” he is quoted as saying by the GPF’s press unit.
Brutus further told them that “persons will be looking at you for advice, for guidance relating to law enforcement issues. Your five months at the training facility is just a starting point to which you are going to use to continue building as you go along.”
Brutus further encouraged the new policemen and women to build their confidence with members of the public which would aid in bridging the gap between the Force and the Guyanese populace.
Thereafter relating that “a better-trained staff would make a better organisation; you are front-line members of this noble profession. The job is a rewarding one, so pay attention to the developmental programmes that will be available to you,” Brutus stated.
Also present were Head Strategic Planning Unit Woman Superintendent Nicola Kendall, Commander Regional Division Nine Raphael Rose, Force Training Officer Deputy Superintendent Kevin London, and US representatives.