Deputy Crime Chief removed from CID

By Leroy Smith

Commissioner of Police (ag), David Ramnarine has granted Senior Superintendent, Reshi Das his wish of being removed from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The Deputy Crime Chief had requested to be transferred from the CID some three weeks ago in a letter to the Police Commissioner (ag). He is now serving as the second in Command of the Guyana Police Force Operations under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken.

Das reportedly requested to be removed from the CID after he began feeling uncomfortable in his position following his testimony at the Commission of Inquiry (COI) which investigated an alleged assassination plot against the President of Guyana.

During his testimony, Das unlike his immediate supervisor, Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum, told the Commission that he does not believe a proper investigation was conducted into the plot.

For those remarks, he reportedly began receiving the cold shoulder from several senior officers within and outside of the CID. The decision of the Force to grant Das his wish of being removed from the department is being considered as “unprecedented” as officers generally do not make such requests.

However, a senior officer indicated to the News Room that if an officer believes he or she is unable to function in a particular department or unit, or he or she is uncomfortable, then that officer should be allowed to have his or her request granted in-keeping with the values of a democratic state once sufficient reasons and evidence are put forward.

Senior Superintendent Das has approximately three more years in the Guyana Police Force.

Recently, Das did not take up the post as Crime Chief (ag) when Blanhum went on leave as he sent in “sick leave.” As such, the Force then installed Senior Superintendent Ravindradat Budhram as the Crime Chief (ag) but removed him two days later and replaced him with Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Williams.

Superintendent Michael Kingston who served as the Detective Officer of ‘A’ Division was then asked to head over to the Deputy Crime Chief’s chair while Superintendent Wright replaced Kingston.

In the COI report, which was compiled by retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Slowe, it was recommended that Das be disciplined for neglect of duty, for failing to ensure that a correct date was in the report that he submitted to the Commissioner of Police and for the fact that he admitted that there was not a proper investigation conducted into the plot to kill the president but failed to do anything to ensure a proper investigation was done when he acted as Crime Chief.

The report questioned his efficiency in the CID.