The Guyana Police Force has recorded a 17% decrease in serious crimes at the end of July 2016 relative to the same period last year.
According to a statement from the police, “there was a 16% reduction in reports of murder; a 9% decrease in gun-related robberies; a 12% decrease in armed robberies where other instruments were used; a 22% decrease in robberies with violence; a 2% increase in robberies with aggravation; a 17% decrease in rape; and a 21% decrease in break and enter and larceny, Burglary by 15%, whilst larceny from the person decreased by 35%.”
The reduction was credited to works carried out hand in hand with various stakeholders in both the Public and Private Sectors. The GPF said it has also been successful in increasing public trust which spins off into the gathering and sharing of intelligence that results in the solving and prevention of serious crimes.
The force also spoke of the training and development of ranks.
Recently two hundred and twenty-five ranks graduated from training Colleges in the three counties of Guyana. These ranks have been deployed across the Seven Policing Divisions in an effort to boost the present strength and further aid in the reduction of crimes in particular, by increased visibility.
A further two hundred and fifteen recruits were recently accepted into the Felix Austin Police College and currently, thirty-three ranks are being trained in investigative techniques to boost the Criminal Investigation Department.
In the area of Traffic Management, the GPF recorded 72 road fatalities at the end of July this year, which are 13 more for the same period last year.
“While there was a reduction in serious accidents, there have been increases in minor and damage accidents, forty-four” the force said.
The Force says it has charged 41,497 persons with traffic offences so far this year. This includes 15,427 for speeding and 1,035 for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Traffic enforcement is continuous country-wide with special emphasis being placed on Driving Under the Influence, Speeding and Use of Cellular Phones whilst driving the GPF said.
Attention is also being paid to Pedestrian Crossings at schools and elsewhere where foot traffic is heavy during peak hours.
The Traffic Department is also seeing an influx of newly trained Certifying Officers who will assist in reducing traffic offences on our streets and roadways.
Internationally, in forty-four ranks have already been selected and training commenced for a number of overseas training programs in a several specialists’ fields as the Police Force looks to bolster its resources in expertise.
