THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) graduated 27 more ranks, on Monday, from the Richard Faikall Training College on the Essequibo Coast.

At an impressive graduation ceremony, the graduates of Course 5 G, at Suddie, took part in a drill display on the training tarmac.
In an address to the graduands, Assistant Commissioner and Force Training Officer, Brian Joseph said, when participants on any course of instructions come to the end of a training phase, they ought to feel, with some justification, that they have achieved a significant milestone in their personal and professional development process.
“Police training is evolving and, therefore, we all will need to make some serious adjustments on the way we do things. Our approach must be one which contributes to development and modernisation,” he advised.
Joseph said the Administration of the GPF is continually engaging in assessing its training needs, because appropriate curriculum design, development, delivery and evaluating, all circle back to the information that is obtained during the needs assessment procedure.
He said the evaluation conducted at the very end of training adequately addresses the gaps in knowledge and skills which are identified during the needs assessment.
Joseph said one aspect which affects policing is with respect to ethics, which refers to critical issues of corruption /gratuities/bribe, public trust, morals, personal values of officers, lack of values in new officers, honesty, abuse of force/abuse of authority, off duty behaviour, professionalism, respect and loyalty.

SYMBOLIC STATEMENT
The Assistant Commissioner also read, to the new recruits, the law enforcement oath of honour, a symbolic statement as recommended by the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a commitment to ethical behaviour.
It reads: “On my honour, I will never betray my badge, my integrity, my character, or the public trust. I will always have the courage to hold myself and others accountable for our actions. I will always uphold the constitution and community I serve.”
Joseph tendered congratulations, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police and other officers and ranks, to those who successfully completed their training.
Member of Parliament (MP) representing Region 2  (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Mr. Cornel Damon also congratulated the graduands and charged them to serve the people of Guyana faithfully and honestly.
Awards went to Best Graduating Student, Constable 21644 Rameswar, who also was awarded best classroom student and Best Shot.
Best Drill went to Constable 21633 Wills while Most Improved Student is Constable 21637 Barlow.
Runner-up Graduating Student was Constable 21734 Walton; Best English Student prize went to Constable 21741 Bacchus and Most Disciplined Student was Constable 21718 Kippins.