GPF no longer serves one section of society; still has far way to go- Top Cop

By Leroy Smith

 
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is now functioning as a fair and balanced organisation and can no longer be regarded as one which serves only one section of the society while ignoring the needs of the other.

 
This is according to Top Cop Seelall Persaud as he addressed the gathering at the annual Guyana Police Force 177th Anniversary Route March.

The GPF in recent times, Persaud pointed out, has been working to ensure that it provides a service to every citizen in the fairest manner. This, the Police Commissioner said is as a result of several assessments made by the Force with regard to its performance over the past years.
“Two years ago while I addressed this gathering I quoted a little bit of our history particularly as it relates to our history where our organisation was constructed as a Paramilitary Organisation to protect elites by suppressing the masses and I did indicate that, that is something we need to change. Two years later we have implemented a number of reforms that would have seen public trust built in leaps and bounds and we would have seen a rebuilding of morals within the force. We have great partnership programmes that are reaching out to many, many communities in Guyana and it keeps expanding, we have seen the CID doing the best that it has done in contemporary times and it’s all because of these two key issues and that is, rebuilding of morals and developing public trust,” Persaud highlighted.

Commissioner Persaud went on to state that the Force is now experiencing the benefits of its hard work to change the organisation from what it was in the past to one that is now more people friendly. He noted too that it also addresses finding resolutions to social problems; a direction the GPF needs to continue following.

 
While lauding the work of the Criminal Investigations Department, Persaud cited the need for further capacity building in a number of areas.
“While the CID and Crime intelligence (are) delivering at acceptable standards we still need to build capacity and we cannot say the same thing for security intelligence. Fortunately about a year or so ago we did engage the Jamaica Force Constabulary. They have assisted and very shortly coming out of recommendations that they have done, we will start to plan capacity building in intelligence and to see that interface in Crime Intelligence and Special Branch, an interface that really delivers the kind of work that all the commanders and operational officers will desire in order to plan their work,” he noted.

 
The Guyana Police Force has several other activities that will be rolled out within this month as part of its 177th Anniversary celebrations.