POLICE actions must reflect the values of the communities they serve, said acting Commissioner of Police, Nigel Hoppie, as the Guyana Police Force (GPF) implements a three-year strategic plan from 2019-2021.

Hoppie issued the charge during his feature address at a graduation ceremony of 88 police ranks who participated in an elementary prosecutor’s course; station management course and the newly-promoted subordinate officer’s course.

The graduation was held at the Officers Training Centre, Eve Leary, Georgetown, on Friday.
He said participants would have been exposed to certain areas of training which are critical in personal development and in extension development of the GPF.

Hoppie noted that the participants and content of all three courses were carefully selected, not just only to highlight contemporary issues, but to build capacity necessary to confront various issues.

“It is important to note that the GPF has embarked on a reform programme and is currently engaged in the implementation of a three-year strategic plan, that is from 2019-2021, and the plan is guided by five pillars namely: operational priorities, human development, partnership, performance and infrastructure,” the acting commissioner said.
He said training remains a key strategic imperative of the organisation since it is important to ensure that the human resource component of the force has the expected value to its operation.

Hoppie said that it is important that mechanisms are in place to provide direct attention through care and maintenance to equipment and vehicles at various stations.
“We have implemented a trained and divisional/branch logistics officer whose duty largely compliments the inspectors and subordinate officers in charge of stations, serving as an oversight with an effective and efficient administration of vehicle, equipment and division and branches,” he said.

Underscoring that the GPF has already commenced the alignment of divisional boundaries in line with the 10 administrative regions, Hoppie said this was done to improve functional cooperation between the GPF and regional executive.

The acting commissioner said the force expects improved efficiency from divisional officers and ranks, resulting from enhanced interaction with a shared mission and focus on crime issues specific to the region.

“This will result in better allocation of resources and understanding of the region’s dynamics,” he told the junior ranks.
He explained that the training has equipped the participants with the necessary skills, while noting that integrity and duty to citizens are paramount.

“Be a person of character; seek to live a life off of integrity and encourage others to earn the trust in your peers, your supervisor and the community. Be a good partner by being an individual who is trusted based on reputation, integrity and competence,” the acting top cop said.

Meanwhile, Force Training Officer (FTO), Assistant Commissioner, Clifton Hicken, said the participants were introduced to community-based policing in theory and practice.
The ranks were exposed to community work and produced solutions based on their surveys and interactions.

“If it can be adopted at the junior level, it means therefore we will certainly build the bridge between members of the public and the GPF; hence, there should be no more conflict,” the assistant commissioner said.

In giving an a course overview, Taramatie Singh of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), who also participated in the courses, said the intention of the exercise was to identify police ranks and members of the GRA with the skillset required to be effective prosecutors.
Some of the main topics covered, she said, included the role and functions of the prosecutor; ethical responsibilities of the prosecutor; the course of a summary trial; rebuttal and closing statement and mock trials, among others.

Singh said the courses enhanced the participants’ perspectives and knowledge in fulfilling the respective roles as law enforcement officers.