PSC to decide former SWAT boss fate
Deputy Superintendent of Police  Motie Dookie
Deputy Superintendent of Police Motie Dookie

— now posted as number two sub-divisional officer in ‘A’ Division

DEPUTY Superintendent of Police and former head of the Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT), Motie Dookie is back on the job and is performing general duties.
Dookie has been posted to the police ‘A’ Division as the number two sub divisional officer, commanding areas North and South Ruimveldt, communities along the East Bank Demerara and parts of Georgetown under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Leslie James.

Dookie is the officer who was in a vehicle on the Corentyne Coast on December 30, 2017, which was pulled over by a police corporal. A search of the vehicle found that several smuggled cases of whiskey was being transported. The driver of the vehicle was detained as well as Dookie who, at the time of his detention, was supposed to be in Georgetown.
Crime Chief Paul Williams, commenting on the status of the investigation involving Dookie, said his department was not handling the matter but rather it was the Police Office of Professional Responsibility.

However, when pressed for a comment and was informed that the head of the OPR said that his department was not handling the matter, but rather it was the CID, Williams said his department dealt with the preliminary investigation and the file was sent to the Office of Professional Responsibility.

Acting Commissioner of Police, David Ramnarine sought to “set the records straight” by pointing out that the investigations into the Dookie matter were completed at the level of the police and departmental charges were recommended.
Ramnarine further stated that the file and statements were sent to the secretary of the Police Service Commission for same to be passed onto the Police Service Commission when that body is constituted.

Questioned on the reasoning behind posting Dookie to the Police ‘A’ Division, a strategic post as sub divisional officer, Ramnarine said “Dookie being a deputy superintendent of police, therefore in the circumstances which the force has to be superintended on a daily basis, could not find himself anyone within four walls.”

To solidify his point, Ramnarine made reference to the many openings in the Force across the divisions due to officers no longer in the profession either because of retirement, death or being on leave. He further stated that the course of action which ought to be meted out to Dookie as a consequence of his December debacle was carried out.

DUE PROCESS
“The processes which are available to the Police force administration with the conduct of Mr. Dookie, those processes have been adhered to. He is entitled to due process and that part has been completed. At this point in time, the Guyana Police Force would have seen the exit of some 15 senior officers from the rank of Superintendent to Assistant Commissioners in the last two and a half years,” Ramnarine said.

However, Ramnarine was quick to point out that while the file for Dookie is awaiting the Police Service Commission’s pronouncement, it does not mean that there may not other consequences which could come the way of the senior officer.

“At the level of the police administration at this point, it is completed and the charges recommended are departmental in nature. Those discipline lie with the Police Service Commission and that has been communicated to the secretary of the commission and a copy of the report and legal advice and so on was sent. When the commission is reconstituted, other course of actions may follow which may necessarily see the matter, depending on the course of action taken by the new service commission, return to the Police Force.”

Commenting on the matter, Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan reminded that it is the Police Service Commission which deals with the disciplining of senior officers, while noting that there is no commission in place at this point.

Dookie was first sent to an office at Force headquarters after the whiskey scandal and upon review of the matter, it was found that he had more than 100 days leave on the cards.
As such, he was asked to proceed on leave and he agreed. Dookie is no stranger to controversies, one of which led to his firearm being taken away by the Force even though it was subsequently returned to him upon the intervention of then President, Donald Ramotar.

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