COMMANDER of the Police ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner Derrick Josiah, on Monday, unveiled a comprehensive security plan for the capital and its environs, as economic activities increase for the upcoming Christmas season.

Atop that strategy are increased police visibility, intelligence, traffic congestion and roadblocks to deal with the situations expected to arise at this time of the year.
The divisional operations will be intensified from this coming Friday and continue through January 15.
The heightened police presence and actions, like in previous years, are geared at ensuring that members of the public can be in a safe and secure environment.
Before announcing the strategic details, Josiah pointed out that the police have come to the conclusion that whatever the Force has been doing during that period in previous years is working and should be continued.
The ‘A’ Division will be divided into five sections to ensure the effective execution of its Christmas programme, whch would be managed by an Assistant Superintendent or Cadet Officer along with an adequate number of ranks.
Special operations will also be heightened by members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) around hotels, banks, night spots, post offices and other business places.
While patrols would be targeting those places, there will also be more police patrolling around the Georgetown Prisons, Stabroek and other market places.
Mass patrols
Armed ranks on foot will cordon and search and mass patrols will be done between 07:00 hrs and 13:00 hrs and the cycle would overlap and repeat itself from 12:00 hrs to 19:00 hrs daily.
Meanwhile, during that month, from December 24 to 31, the public would see more foot patrols, specially, to cater for accommodating late shopping.
The Christmas strategy also provides for those persons coming into the country at this time of the year, and police will be conducting patrolling and intelligence surveillance in a turn system to assure the safety of those travelling to the city.
It is also planned for the police to network with the other commanders and divisions of the Force to make sure the safe arrival of those arriving, by accessing the various flight itineraries, particularly of late night flights, for patrols to arrange their patrolling accordingly.
The police are also catering for assistance from Community Policing Groups (CPGs) and rural constables.
The areas targeted for intense patrols are Alberttown, Queenstown, Alexander Village, East La Penitence, Campbellville, North and South Ruimveldt, as well as Middle Road and Kitty, all within the city and Diamond, and Grove, East Bank Demerara.
Domestic violence and noise nuisance are also going to be of concern to the police at this time of year and several Georgetown streets would be converted to temporary one-ways to ease congestion as part of the measures to address the traffic situation.
Special attention will be paid, too, to those who drink and drive and others who operate vehicles without the relevant documents.

(By Leroy Smith)