In today’s reality of the criminal world increasing application of intelligence and technology in the fight against crime is inevitable because the criminals are increasingly resorting to the use of intelligence and technology. The former which to a large extent is obtained through their handsomely paid informants in high places.
There it is only logical that policing methods have to be much more scientific if the global crime problem is going to be arrested.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and President Bharrat Jagdeo alluded to this during the recent Annual Conference of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
President Jagdeo said an intelligence agency is being created locally that will support the Police, particularly, in their fight against crime, which is normal.
“If you agree to have an intelligence led law enforcement effort or to shift the focus on intelligence led – you have to get the tools – legislative and institutional tools,” he noted.
Rohee exhorted: “I do not think that anyone in this audience would deny that a high level of performance is expected of the Force. To achieve such level of performance, you have to place emphasis on the use of Intelligence and Technology,”
However, with respect to intelligence gathering apart from the use of technology an extremely helpful component is the citizens themselves who can provide very valuable information on criminals. But the difficulty, unfortunately, many citizens simply do not have confidence in our police and thus would not cooperate, particularly when it comes to dangerous criminals. Also many of our citizens actually side with criminals helping to shield and protect them. How can the police overcome this problem?
One of the best approaches in this regard is for the police to become friends of the people and by so doing they will eventually win their confidence and cooperation. Far too many of our citizens see the police as their enemies or not being helpful and to some extent may be justified in having this perception because of police excesses, harassment, unprofessionalism and a poor quality of service in many instances.
An editorial in the Daily News of Sri Lanka in July 2004 makes interesting and pertinent reading on this subject. This is what it said:
“An important point to emerge in current deliberations by the law enforcement authorities on beefing-up security in the country is the lack of communication between the public and the police.
This is hampering intelligence gathering by the law enforcers in fighting crime, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order, Tilak Ranaviraja, was quoted saying at a press briefing.
While earnest efforts are underway to revamp the country’s security apparatus to curb crime, a non-communicative public, we must admit, would prove a stumbling block in this drive to improve the law and order situation.
The recent killings at Kottawa have brought these issues into focus and we hope a serious effort would now be made to locate the pitfalls to step up security, along with the launching of initiatives to rectify them.
We need to concede right away that the possibility of curbing crime is minimal in the absence of a cooperative attitude on the part of the public towards resolving the problem. If the public is not willing to confide in the police and the law enforcers on matters relating to crime, we do not see how the scourge could be contained.”
The South African Crime Strategy notes “Violence associated with inter-group conflict is being addressed through a Presidential task team to address violence in KwaZulu Natal. This team is co-ordinating all intelligence gathering efforts and identifying solutions in areas particularly affected by violence. Operational strategies based on sector policing are aimed at maximising police deployment in affected areas. In addition an intelligence task team is supporting the Cabinet Committee on Taxi Violence and special police units are addressing this issue.”
Yes, the police have to pursue the path of developing an amicable and mutual friendship and partnership with the people. In this way the people will become allies in the fight against crime which is one of the more formidable tasks across the globe. But one which must be overcome if we are to build a society in which our citizens enjoy genuine security and could pursue their goals in life without fear that their efforts will  become useless by the destructive hands of the criminals.