By Isanella Patoir
In the battle against crime, the Guyana Police Force is reviewing where and how many officers are posted at various locations, Police Commissioner Leslie James said Tuesday afternoon.
To address immediate concerns, the Force has outlined some targeted training exercises including Police community engagement, station management, tourism policing, conflict management and resolution, professional ethics in law enforcement, cyber-crime management and “hotspot” management.
Speaking at a graduation exercise for 151 new recruits Tuesday at the Tactical Services Unit Drill Square, Eve Leary, the Commissioner said that in the Police reform process, strategies will be identified and implemented to better utilize the human resources of the Force.
This, he said, would include a “review of the deployment of ranks throughout the country, to ascertain adequacy and suitability.”
In addition, he said departments, sections and sub-sections of the Force are also set to be reviewed.
“To strengthen the capacity of the Guyana Police Force, myself and team have established and operationalized several new units within our organisation,” the Commissioner said.
The new units include the cybercrime unit, the cold case unit, firearms investigation unit, the missing person unit and the police prosecutors coordinating unit.
He said there will also be a review of the electronic database management system.
James noted that there has been a 5.5% reduction in crimes which were reported.
The Commissioner said he has instructed the Office of Professional Responsibility to conduct countrywide anti-corruption seminars with the police force’s ranks and further, the communities.
“My statement is in no way meant to shift focus from the conduct of ranks, but rather attempting to address the other dimension of corruption,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner said the police administration continues to focus on the living and working condition of its ranks.
Last year several Police Stations across the country were upgraded and rehabilitated.
The stations rehabilitated include Mckenzie, Kwakwani, Suddie, Annai, Port Kaituma, La Grange, Mabaruma, Aishalton, Aurora and Cane Grove.
“Apart from the stations, approval have been given for several police stations to be rebuilt and rehabilitated during the period of 2019 through 2020,” the Commissioner said.
