IT IS evident that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is in transformative mode, and this is in keeping with the reform process of the security sector, as announced by Minister of Home Affairs Mr. Clement Rohee quite a while ago.

A particular aspect of this process has been efforts by the Police Force in going into what can be described as the troubled communities, where they have been establishing programmes, especially among young people. This initiative must be commended, for two reasons.

Such an initiative is timely, in addition to being very critical, given what has been the total breakdown in community relations with law enforcement, which has resulted in open hostility with citizens. In fact, so bad have relations been, that it is common to listen to sentiments such as ‘hatred for the police’. No Police Force, or even citizens, should allow such a dangerous deterioration of ties to continue.

Therefore, these initiatives can be seen as genuine attempts to win the hearts and minds of young people, not only within those areas, targeted so far, but also in other communities in general.

Agricola, that has been in the news, even in the not too distant past for the wrong reasons, has been the focus of many of these initiatives, led by Commander of ‘A’ Division, Clifton Hicken. These programmes, of a skills training type, are discerned not only to offer the young recipients an early opportunity in determining their learning pathway for future earning capacity, but will also serve as an alternative to coming into conflict with the law.

Such programmes can only redound to the good of such communities that have had the unfortunate reputation of being labelled as crime ridden. Surely, many of those young trainees would have known of many youths, older than they are, coming into conflict with the law, even being killed by police fire. These young people would have been affected psychologically, to the extent of having a more than negative view of what a Police Force is all about.

These interventions will serve to correct such perceptions in the minds of these youngsters.

But one must further commend the Commander and his management team, for his pro-active approach towards continuously building that vital link with Communities in general, as the Force seeks to advance the building trust with citizens, so critical in garnering support for combating crime.

Our communities and citizens, and country as a whole, can only benefit from such improved cooperation.