The Guyana Police Force is responding to an article published in the Kaieteur News on Wednesday May 18, 2011, under the caption “The Crime Chief offers a shield to killers”.

In the letter to the editor, the writer refers to an article carried in the Stabroek News of Tuesday May 17, 2011, under the caption “Slain ex-boxer had ties to drugs, guns” in which the Assistant Commissioner ‘ Law Enforcement’ Mr. Seelall Persaud, is quoted as saying that Linden Mortley, whose body was found on a bridge in Festival City on Sunday May 15, 2011, had been known to the police for in excess of ten years and that he had ties to organised crime, including narcotics and firearms trafficking.

The writer goes on to raise the issue of why were the police unable to capture Mortley, given the information they had on him, and why did the police come out with a position that he was in some way linked to a criminal enterprise as it was the writer’s view that this kind of posture encourages criminals to commit more crimes as the police, in their minds, have offered a good defence for their crimes.

The Guyana Police Force wishes to state from the outset that its policy is for all reports to be fully investigated and for offenders to be prosecuted. It does not discriminate and does not allow  selective enforcement.

It is rather unfortunate that the writer has interpreted the Police Force’s informing of the public concerning the victimology factors as a way of shielding or protecting perpetrators of crimes. Police ranks have pursued, arrested, charged and prosecuted several persons for murders committed against known criminals, sometimes risking their lives in the process.

In fact, in similar manner and in an effort to have them take preventative measures, the Police Force has divulged information which alerts the public of ways in which some victims of crime have contributed to their being vulnerable and becoming a target of a particular crime. The force has frequently expressed concern, for example, where victims of theft have left large sums of cash unattended in their vehicles, or kept large sums of cash on their business premises, factors that motivate criminals to target them.

There is no real merit for the question posed by the writer as to why were the police unable to capture him (Linden Mortley) given the available information. The article in the Stabroek News which the writer is referring to stated that “Persaud noted that Mortley had been charged with criminal offences three times recently. Further, he said that at the time of the killing, the man had a firearm and a grenade offence pending before the court”. Given that, it is clear that Linden Mortley had at some stage been arrested and charged, therefore the question should not have arisen. It however begs the question as to what is the motivation and intent of the writer.

While the writer’s call for every effort to be made to capture criminals is appreciated, the Police Force wishes to indicate that the available statistics do not support the statement that criminals continue to create havoc on this nation, and reiterates that it has been working and continues to work assiduously with the support of the government and other stakeholders, including members of the public, to contain crime in the country.