– cops lauded for talent, intelligence displayed
THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Friday held its annual 2010 First Aid Competition for the Smellie Cup at Tactical Services Unit (TSU) Drill Square, Eve Leary, Georgetown in which four teams competed for monetary incentives and trophies in which General Office emerged the winner after a fantastic display of talent and intelligence. General Office copped the first price of $75,000 and a trophy for each of the four members of the team and an additional $100,000 which was awarded by Commissioner of Police, Henry Greene.
Coming in second place is Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and they received $75,000, a trophy and were awarded an additional $50,000 while the third placer was given to Immigration, the favourite, who won two years in a row, they received $50,000, a trophy and an additional $50,000 by Greene and fourth place winner Constabulary was presented $25,000, a trophy and an additional $50,000 for their efforts by the Commissioner.
The Best Firs Aider prize is Lance Corporal Moore, was promoted to Corporal on the spot by Commissioner while, Constable Hopkinson was promoted to Lance Corporal by the Commissioner of Police.
During brief remarks, the Top Cop congratulated the four teams for the entertaining display of talent and intelligence and highlighted the importance of First Aid and the need for all traffic ranks, members of the Anti-Crime Unit (TSU), ranks on all patrols and trainees of the Felix Austin Police College to embrace the First Aid training that is offered.
Greene hoped that all ranks manning patrols and traffic should be given the First Aid training since they are the ones, who arrive on accident scenes or a shooting incidents first and therefore would be better equipped to render assistance.
The Commissioner also urged members of the GPF to maintain the competition annually and challenged them to work collaboratively with the Guyana Red Cross where they can receive the necessary training and after which, they will be awarded a token which, will be worn by members of the GPF to show their participation.
The GPF is a division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade which was established since 1931. The Force apart from its core functions assists the citizenry throughout the country in rendering first aid to the sick and injured in times of emergency.
First Aid was introduced in the Force in 1927 and in 1931 the Force became a member of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Colonel W.A. Orrett, C.B.E., K.P.H., the then Commissioner of Police, was the first Commissioner of the Brigade. He later became commander of this Order.
The current commissioner of the Order is Major Patrick Smith.
As a means of promoting enthusiasm amongst members of the Force a Cup was donated by Captain C.H. Smellie in 1950 for annual competition among teams drawn from various sections of the Force. Captain Smellie at that time was a member of the Brigade Council and served as Organising Secretary of the British Guiana Red Cross Fund (1940-42).
The Force has over the years produced a number of serving Brothers of the Order.
These include the late Reverend James A. Phoenix, F.A.D, Clare H. Mayers, E.A. Anthony and former Commissioner of Police Mr. A.A. Barker, D.S.S and Mr. F. McDonald DSM.
The cup was won by the Felix Austin Police College on 13 occasions; TSU five, Quartermaster Stores three, Force Control and Welfare Office combined one, Special Constabulary four, ‘B’ Division nine, and the current holder Immigration and Passport three, having won the competition in 2009.
This year’s competition attracted 15 teams, but after elimination the best four vyied for the top spot.
The aim is to develop First Aid capability among members of the GPF in cases of emergency.