The behaviour of some police officers
(Following is an excerpt that is self explanatory:)
GUYANA POLICE FORCE STRATEGIC PLAN 2011-2015
Minister and Commissioner’s foreword
“THE new Strategic Plan for the Guyana Police Force heralds a new chapter in policing approaches in Guyana, whereby the GPF will continue to provide all the current policing services that are delivered daily but will give added emphasis to those crimes and activities that adversely affect the lives of citizens and communities in Guyana.

As such the GPF, in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), communities and established partners has identified those areas of work that need additional commitment by all members of the GPF.

All modern police forces throughout the world need the support of their citizens to assist in making communities safe and secure by taking action themselves to reduce  opportunities for crime and disorder, to provide information about crimes and possible suspects and build effective partnerships with their local police.

The GPF must understand that this support and trust will not be achieved unless they demonstrate a willingness to provide professional, accountable and coordinated services and allow themselves to be tested and measured to show they are being successful.”

On Tuesday, 17th April, at around 10:30 pm, I was in the vicinity of the KFC outlet on Water Street, shopping for some ground provisions when I observed a woman being assaulted by a man. I and several other vendors asked the man to desist, whereupon he drew a knife and told us to mind our own business.

Fearing for the safety of the woman I then went over to the Police Mobile Outpost located in the Stabroek Market Square and went up into it. I was greeted by an officer who was lounging alone. The officer did not have on any identification tag and asked me to state my business. I proceeded to tell him of the altercation I had witnessed, whereupon he asked me if the woman was a relative of mine.
I told him ‘no’, that I was just being public-spirited. He smiled and asked if the woman was going to come and make a report at which point I realised that he just wasn’t interested in anything I had to say, so I asked if he wasn’t going to take any action.
He said that I should leave the outpost. I then asked him what was the purpose of the outpost, if not to render assistance to people around the area.
I also asked if he couldn’t make a call to a mobile patrol at which point he asked me if I was going to tell him how to do his job and then he again told me to leave. Frustrated, I then asked him his name at which point he told me that if I wasn’t going to leave the outpost then I was going to have to stay.
I was astonished at the turn of things and, again, I asked him what was his purpose there, at which point he came around the counter and told me to get behind the counter. I told him I had no such intention and then he asked if I was resisting arrest.
I told him I had done nothing to warrant his behaviour and then he grabbed my arm and told me to get behind the counter at which point I brushed his arm off and told him I would wait on his superior officer.
About five minutes later another man came in, apparently this was a plain clothed police officer for they started conversing about a stolen phone and then the other man asked about my presence and the officer laughed and said that I was there for disorderly conduct.
I then started to speak and the newcomer told me to shut up. They were subsequently joined by a third person and had a discussion with two other people about a stolen or missing phone.
A little later a mobile patrol arrived and I was told to get in as I was being arrested. I sent a text message to that effect to my wife and my boss and my cell phone died. I was taken to the Brickdam Police Station where a female officer took note of my personal effects, made an entry in a ledger and after trying vainly to make a call on my cell phone, I was told to get into the holding cell.
The next morning I asked to make a phone call and was refused because I had tried to use my phone the night before and it had died. The officer told me that that was my one phone call and that’s that. The officer who had been in the outpost the night before arrived and smilingly asked me if I had “cooled down”; I told him that I wanted no further conversation with him because he was a disgrace. I subsequently begged a policeman by the cell door to call my wife and inform her of my plight.
Later that day, at about around 5 o’clock I would assume, I got a message from my brother-in-law telling me that I had been arrested and would be charged with assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest. It later transpired that he had been all around to the various police stations as there had been no record of my arrest at the Brickdam Police Station.
A little later a Cadet Officer whom I knew arrived at the cell and asked me what was going on. He then told me that the report of my arrest stated that I had entered the outpost, started cursing and then hit the officer on duty apparently bloodying his nose. I was flabbergasted; apparently I was now a drunken maniac. I explained what had transpired and he told me that I would be going to court the next day.
I was taken to court the morning by the officer who had been the “arresting officer” whose nose I had apparently bloodied. I now learned that his name was Anderson aka “Anders”. I subsequently learned that his full name was Quincy Anderson. My name was incorrect on the charge sheet and I sat down and listened to the prosecuting officer tell the magistrate all about my drunken verbal and physical assault. I gave the magistrate my personal details, pleaded Not Guilty to the two charges, was told to keep the peace and return to court on April 30th.
Now this is a very frightening state of affairs when an ordinary citizen who is trying to render assistance to a person and to the police by informing them of a crime being committed should be subjected to this kind of treatment. I was later told by a few of my friends and acquaintances that I should never have gone to the police because it was a “waste of time”. Well if that is the perception pervading society, the Guyana Police Force is in a very sad state of affairs and I would only hope that this letter serves to bring to attention the disparaging behaviour that some of the ranks are openly involved in. A copy of this letter is being sent to the major newspapers, The Police Complaints Authority as well as the Commissioner of Police and I now sit back and wait for any action or reaction.