Over the years malodorous practices by security ranks have been exposed, generating great distrust in the nation’s security services.Recently the headlines blared “Ex-cop charged with conspiring to murder businessman”
This newspaper reported that “An ex-police Sergeant, accused of conspiring to murder businessman Mohamed F. Khan, appeared before Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry at the Georgetown Magistrates Court to face criminal charges. Leon Lindo, who hails from Lot 220 Belle West, Canal No. 2, West Bank Demerara, was not required to plead to the indictable charge.
Particulars of the charge stated that Lindo, between July 8 and 10, 2014, at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU), Eve Leary, Georgetown, conspired with Lennox ‘Two colours’ Wayne and others to murder the popular businessman.
According to the prosecution, Lindo was a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the deceased was a businessman. The court heard that Khan was shot between July 8 and 10, 2014 and he went missing on August 21. Later on September 22, 2014, a headless body was found at a dam in Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.
A DNA test was carried out on samples taken from the body and the result revealed that it was Khan’s. Lindo was arrested on the basis of statements given by Wayne, that a plot had been hatched between him and the accused to murder Khan. Further investigations were carried out and advice was sought from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before Lindo was charged.”
Instead of executing their mandate “To Protect and Serve” the Guyanese people, police ranks often join underworld dons to drive fear and discourage citizens from seeking their constitutional rights to freedom of choice – of any kind and in any dimension.
The victims of the lawless prevailing dynamic range across every divide, because Guyanese of all ethnic compositions often fall prey to the oppressors in uniform.
Corruption had become endemic to the national psyche and has infused every aspect of national life, to the extent that every transaction, no matter how small, is many times an exercise in futility unless a bribe is paid.
Living above their means through partying, having multiple partners, dressing high fashion, going to every show that sells tickets for thousands of dollars, eating out more than in, etc, etc, etc, has corroded the conscience of service sector employees, so that ‘more’ and ‘more’ and ‘more’ is never enough; so the get-rich-schemes and dishonest acts never stop.
A letter-writer of this newspaper Ted King, posited: “Police living above their means is cause for dishonest practices”, and he goes on to state, among other remarks: “They have been getting constant increases in wages and benefits, including tax-free pay for lower ranks; and even if Government increases their wages by 100% – tax free they will still steal, because no amount of money in this world is enough for these thieves since they have to fete child-mothers and impress the future child-mothers, all at the same time.”

He continued, “There was also a call for there to be joint operations between the police and army with respect to police patrols of the communities, but these citizens need to understand that even though this might eventuate there is no guarantee of security, because criminals are entrenched in both services: When they commit crimes they are transferred elsewhere to commit these acts at a different location.

“Investigate the criminal activities on nights of robberies and trace police and you will get a clear picture about criminals in the Guyana Police Force.”
King contended “… there is deep anger that hard-working citizens feel at being targeted by criminals and receiving no protection from the police force, which they justifiably contend are in collusion with criminals, and even perpetrate criminal activities?”
A few years ago residents of Upper Corentyne Berbice met at the Number 48 Primary School with then Commissioner of Police, Leroy Brumell and the top brass of the Police Force and those from the Police ‘B’ Division following protest action to express their dissatisfaction with the modus operandi of the police in the division, especially those on the Corentyne, and their contention that police ranks are in collusion with the criminals, and even engage in criminal activities, using their police paraphernalia, including arms and uniforms.
Supporting the Berbicians was General-Secretary of the Guyana Rice Producers Association, Dharamkumar Seeraj, who iterated that Berbicians don’t trust certain police. He called on the Guyana Police Force to launch a full investigation into the allegations by the Corentyne residents and noted that the visit of Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell to the Corentyne was an indication that the spike in crime has caught the attention of the police. Seeraj warned “We have to nip this problem in the bud to ensure that it does not escalate,” and said that the commissioner should not take the reports from the residents lightly, alluding to remarks by the former commissioner wherein he mentioned that some members of the community who were making allegations against the police were under the influence of alcohol.
However, Seeraj noted that “where there is smoke, there is fire”. He had met earlier with some of the residents and was adamant that there was a degree of veracity in some of the allegations against several ranks of the force. He related “There are persons in this school who are prepared to give statements on what they saw… one man was coming out of the backdam and his gate made a noise and shots were fired at him, when he came around he saw that car that was identified driving slowly along with one person inside.” He added that the man reported that when he later saw the car, there were four persons inside and advised “The only way that we can deal with this matter is for the police to carry out a full investigation. In order for them to carry out that investigation we have to give them that information.”
But the general problem is trust issues the public at large have with the police force, members of whom, right across the country, citizens are convinced are colluding with criminal elements; even committing criminal acts, including armed robberies themselves.

So who will police the police? The police will have to do it themselves so as to re-generate trust in the public once more. The truth is that most police ranks are honourable and patriotic, working with diligence and commitment to “serve and protect”, and it is up to them to weed out the rotten apples because the taint and mistrust is spreading to encapsulate the entire force. Many policemen have laid their lives on the line and have worked beyond the call of duty to “protect and serve”, and it is unjust and de-motivating to label them with the actions of the corrupt ranks; so it is incumbent upon them to eliminate this scourge from their august sector.
Click here to Reply or Forward 11.93 GB (79%) of 15 GB used
Manage
Terms – Privacy
Last account activity: 4 hours ago
Details