Responsible for a number of successful arrests and prosecution of high-profile criminal offenders, the outstanding Guyana Police Force ranks from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) were on Thursday recognised for their hard work during 2021.
The reward for a select few were awards, monetary gifts and on-the-spot promotions.
Inspector Nigel Stephen emerged as the Best Detective for 2021 and was rewarded with a trophy, monetary gifts, a television, a free ticket to and from the United States of America along with other gifts from businesses in Georgetown.
Detective Stephen was credited for his work on several high-profile cases including the murder of Doctor Colin Roach on November 02, the Sophia double murder of Guyana Defence Force Lance Corporal Daniel Fraser and Sheniqua Hodge on September 01.
He was also credited for the investigation in the execution of Delroy McKenzie in Linden on July 17, the murder of Kennrick Trim, a taxi driver at Ogle on June 30 and the murder of 10-year-old Anthony Kurt in Sophia.
The runner-up Best Detective was Sergeant Ameer Mohamed from the crime laboratory. The fingerprint expert, whose expertise recently secured a conviction of Aaron Hing who murdered a British teen in 2015. He also helped significantly in the murder probe of Dr. Roach and also allowed for several persons to be charged for forging COVID vaccination booklets.
Several other ranks from different sections were recognised for their work and in the end, a total of eight ranks received on-the-spot promotion from Police Commissioner (ag) Nigel Hoppie to the rank of Lance Corporal and Sergeant.
Crime Chief Senior Superintendent Wendell Blanhum said the CID and its investigating ranks were key in helping to bring closure to several homicides, gun robberies and home invasions. He said this was reflected in the reduction of serious crimes.
“There was no abracadabra. It was as a result of hard work, dedication, commitment and discipline demonstrated by members of the CID,” Blanhum said.
Some of CID’s most outstanding achievements in 2021 include the lowest crime rate of serious crimes in the last 10 years, the third-lowest murder rate in the last 10 years and the lowest robbery murders in the last 10 years.
“The lowest rate for break and enter and larceny in the last ten years and the highest cocaine seizures over a ten-year period which amounts to 536.3 kilograms… this is just a few,” Blanhum added.
He encouraged each rank of the CID to be proud of the collective achievements.
Blanhum took time to recognise the CID’s crime-fighting strategies which include “robust intelligence gathering, crime patrols, targeting of hotspots and crime analysis.”
