EVEN as the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) works to recover stolen assets, the organisation Friday morning opened a training series on corruption which targeted almost 300 law-enforcement recruits at the Police Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road, Georgetown.

The workshop focused on equipping the participants with the knowledge needed to be professionals with integrity in the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
SARA’s Clayon Halley of the media communications department, said the event was a result of an invitation by Assistant Commissioner (Administration) Clifton Hicken to enlighten the recruits on issues of corruption, bribery and the need to be professional and career-driven.

He said this is to ensure that the recruits understand that corrupt acts will not be tolerated or allowed in the Police Force, while teaching them that public perception and building public trust in the GPF are essential in their daily activities.

Press Officer Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan in an invited comment noted that building and maintaining community trust is the cornerstone of successful policing and law enforcement. The building and maintenance of trust takes a great deal of continuous effort and as such, new recruits must be educated on such topics.

“Law-enforcement officers have accepted a position of visible authority within their communities and are held to a tremendously high standard of honesty, integrity, equity, and professionalism. Public trust in law enforcement may be fleeting if police officers do not continually reinforce sound, ethical policies and procedures to agency personnel and to the public,” Ramlakhan noted.

The superintendent continued: “Law-enforcement officers therefore, bear the responsibility for demonstrating proper behaviour, informing the community about their department’s role in maintaining honour and integrity within the organisation, and building and sustaining a trusting, working relationship between the public and the police.”