– Ramnarine reads the riot act to police begging, demanding favours
– 28 ranks already fired

By Rabindra Rooplall

TRAFFIC and anti-crime ranks who sully the image of the force by begging and demanding favours of citizens in the execution of their duties, will “fall by the wayside,” the country’s police chief warned Saturday.

David Ramnarine, Police Commissioner (ag), had made his feelings known about the rogue officers before, but on Saturday he called them out at Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, for a special meeting to address the issue.

“Once you’re charged criminally or departmentally, we are not going to waste taxpayers’ money to interdict you and put you on half-pay comrade…out you go,” Ramnarine declared.

Traffic ranks and anti-crime policemen who set up roadblocks are notorious for seeking out and demanding bribes, with the initial threat against drivers being, “let me see your documents” or “drive to the station.”

“Once you’re charged criminally or departmentally, we are not going to waste taxpayers’ money to interdict you and put you on half-pay comrade…out you go,” Ramnarine declared.

For the year thus far, he said 28 ranks have been dismissed from the force.

In expressing his concern about police ranks stopping civilians and soliciting money to supplement their salaries, the commissioner said many ranks are living above their earnings, seeking a luxurious lifestyle by fleecing members of the public.

“Our role is to serve, but not serve at a price. It’s becoming ridiculous, very widespread among you the junior ranks. You are one of the elements of our daily interface with the public- anti-crime patrol ranks and traffic ranks. It’s becoming a problem.

“You are demanding from people. You are shamelessly asking them to leave something. You have no pride and dignity in the way you do things. You have no pride and shame. You believe this uniform is given to you to enrich yourself,” he stressed.

He explained the actions by the ranks are because of a lifestyle choice which surrounds constant partying, multiple relationships, expensive cellphones and throwing box- hands. In some cases he noted that this lifestyle is condoned and promoted by some supervisors who also enrich themselves.
He said it is disgusting that members of the public, and even tourists, are harassed and molested for a “raise” or a “small piece.”

Ramnarine urged ranks in the audience to be courteous and polite when executing their duties and dealing with members of the public.

He said ranks should ensure that they use their name tags and display an overall professional attitude to the public, instead of abusing their authority and using the force unnecessarily.

“It is not only doing the right thing, but doing the right thing the right way,” he said,

He said that it was only through unfettered criticism that institution such as the Police Force can be kept honest and in check.

“So those of you averse to criticism have to deal with it, you have to accept it.

“If we are to be accountable and transparent, we have to understand that customers have the right constitutionally and otherwise to question our actions and not for us to get mad over it, and abusive over it and be vexed about it.

“If you don’t want to be questioned, you’re in the wrong profession,” Ramnarine emphasised.

“If you think your actions are always above board and that no one should ask you anything about your actions, you are in the wrong profession, you have taken the wrong oath. Go and do private business so you are only accountable to yourself.”

Testing the ranks in attendance to demonstrate how many are lax in their duties, Commissioner Ramnarine asked the scores in attendance if they were making notes of what he was relating and saying throughout his presentation.

He asked those who had writing pads and pens and were taking notes to stand. A shocked group looked around at each other, while just about a quarter of the attendees stood.

“Just imagine a typical example: You are coming to be addressed by an acting commissioner and you have come here like you are prepared for a party,” he stressed “You come here to hear and probably just to pass it through the other ear.”

New recruitment policy

Ramnarine said the Police Force is now blessed with a better quality of intake at the recruitment level, but issues such as functional illiteracy abound.

“We have a lot of persons in supervisory capacity who are young and the depth of knowledge and experience is not there and that is a fact which is indisputable.

“Gone are the days when you took five and six years to become a supervisor, a lance corporal or a sergeant.

‘Decades ago some spent 10, 15 or 20 years in the rank of a constable, but this is not so today,” the commissioner noted.
He explained that this may have been because of a decision taken to condense a seven-month training programme into a four-month programme as part of a recruitment drive to enlist a certain number of officers.

He said that this will soon change and the recruitment course will return to eight months. The challenges of ranks’ behaviour and attitude will eventually change for the better as the GPF will be letting go of indisciplined ranks and those who are charged for various offences, Ramnarine stated.

In reflecting on a book he read about policing, Commissioner Ramnarine said the goal of the police includes maintaining public order and enforcing regulations for the prevention and detection of crime.

As such, he said that unless a citizen flouts or breaks the law, police intervention is not necessary.

He said the police are the executive civil force of the state and as such cannot violate the rights of society.