THE Community Policing Group which operates in the Sub-division Two area stretching from Turkeyen to Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara has come out in high praise for the working relationship they share with police ranks stationed at the Beterverwagting, Sparendaam and Turkeyen police stations.

Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle last week, Liaison Officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Leon Rampersaud, who has direct oversight of the CPG body in that area, said the group could not desire a better cadre of police personnel with whom to work.

Rampersaud said that improvement in the working relationship between the Community Policing Group and police ranks has increased recently, and the good relationship is bringing much success to the joint operations.

He made special mention of the officer-in-charge of the three stations, Assistant Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan, who, according to Rampersaud, has been working very closely with the CPG.

He pointed to several training sessions on which the group has embarked with input from Ramlakhan. The sub-division officer is reportedly also on the ground engaged in community outreaches which are largely initiated by the CPG members.

Rampersaud said the budgetary allocation for the CPG, which has been a regular feature over the last few years, has played a great part in the CPG supporting the work of the police.

He said that a lot of work is being done in Sophia, and the area is one of the more troubled areas in which the Sub Division 2 CPG group operates. He spoke of ranks patrolling the area with vehicles, motor and pedal cycles daily as a routine, and said this feature has been instrumental in arresting questionable characters and apprehending persons of interest to the police.

Members of the CPG groups held a training session on Saturday, in which they were briefed on the offences associated with voting at polling stations on Election Day. This training was held ahead of the possibility of snap elections being called, and Rampersaud said that several Community Policing Group members would be called upon to perform security and monitoring duties on Elections Day.

(By Leroy Smith)