… Crime Chief Persaud says statement by Regional Security Officer ‘unprofessional’
Following the US State Department’s Overseas Security Advisory Council- Bureau of Diplomatic Security release, which stated that the crime wave in Georgetown is very high, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Crime Chief, Seelall Persaud, said yesterday that in ‘A’ Division, including Georgetown, there has been a 12 percent reduction in serious crime reports between 2006 and 2010.
He added that these statistics are contrary to the unprofessional statement by the Regional Security Officer, who indicates that there is an increase.
The Crime Chief added that over a five-year period there has been continuous decrease in crimes in ‘A’ Division between 2006 and 2010.
As for crimes against foreigners, Persaud said that Immigration records have shown a steep increase in foreigners entering Guyana. However, incidents of crimes committed against these non-nationals are minimal, and  therefore does not support the Embassy’s position that foreigners are viewed as targets.
He said, “An armed gang started with prison escapees in 2002. Not only was the leader shot and killed as stated in reports, but the gang was almost totally dismantled by 2008.
“However, the support by the U.S. for investigations into funding and directives of the gang provided by elements from the U.S. leaves much to be desired. Another armed gang that surfaced in 2009 is currently dismantled.  That gang was also funded and given directions by the said elements in the U.S. No other known armed gang existed in Guyana.
“We have, however, continued to arrest criminal elements in possession of illegal firearms.”
Persaud stated that it is possible that remnants of the gangs may exist, however, if the U.S. were to provide  the necessary investigative support to apprehend and bring to justice their financers and promoters of terrorism that are in the U.S., the remnants mentioned in the report cannot become active and therefore will not pose a threat.
He further said, contrary to the report, there have been only two incidents of break-in at hotels over the last two years and both occurred at low rated hotels not frequently used by foreigners.
There were 21 reports of vehicle theft countrywide in 2010 and eleven for 2011 so far. Contrary to the report, these figures certainly do not indicate that this is a common occurrence.
The Crime Chief said that the report inaccurately stated that robberies and vehicle theft frequently occurred in New Amsterdam, Berbice.
Giving statistics, Persaud revealed that there were eleven reports of robberies in New Amsterdam in 2010, and five reports for this year so far.  There was one report of vehicle theft in that town in 2010, and one in 2011 so far.
He went on to say that reports of burglaries over the last five years averaged 136 per year countrywide, with a reduction of 16% between 2006 and 2010.
As for road accidents, Persaud said the law requires that drivers of vehicles involved in traffic accidents stop and exchange names and addresses, and render assistance to injured persons.  Additionally, it requires them to report accidents to the Police within 24 hours.  That is what is expected and that is the usual practice by drivers.  It is only in isolated cases, and when agreed on between drivers, that they await the arrival of the Police.
Mr. Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that the 2010 Crime Statistics presented by the Regional Security Officer is grossly inaccurate.
He said, “This does not only suggest that they were not obtained from unofficial source, but also adds to the examples of unprofessional behaviour by the Officer of the Embassy.
The report states that there were 108 shooting incidents in 2010, when in fact there were 75, which included perpetrators of crime shot by the police, persons who committed suicides with their licensed firearms, firearms holders that shot persons with their licensed firearms when they were attacked, as well as criminals that shot persons with unlicensed firearms.”
Mr. Persaud revealed that this year, so far, 68 illegal weapons were seized by the police and they continue to make arrests and charge the perpetrators.
The Crime Chief said that there has been a decrease in crimes by 40% between 2006 and 2010. To date there have been reports of 67 murders, in which 39 persons were charged.
He added that the statement, “periodically, we do have robberies/attacks on American citizens and in areas frequented by expatriates”, and “police patrols are rare and non-existent” are expressions of dishonesty on the part of the Regional Security Officer. There have been no robberies at places frequented by expatriates, neither in 2010 nor in 2011.
Persaud said that the statement that police officers who respond to reports of crime lack sufficient authority to act also suggests how misguided the Regional Security Officer is, since Section 17 of the Police Act Chapter 16:01 gives all members of the Police Force the same powers to stop, search and detain persons under certain conditions.
He stated that the Embassy indicates that the police ‘are largely ineffective in preventing crime’.
Armed robberies are down by 46% between 2006 and 2010. There has also been significant reduction in other street crimes.
“One now has to wonder what they attribute the reduction to, if not to police prevention efforts,” Persaud asked.