ACTING Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine has reiterated that persons held for minor offences should secure cash bail or be released on their own recognisance immediately after they are processed.

Ramnarine said persons held with less than five grams of cannabis should not be kept in custody until court appearances.

In reiterating directives handed down by Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud in 2014, Commissioner Ramnarine said a memo was issued to all commanders stating that persons arrested for minor offences should be placed on station bail as soon as processing is completed, unless they are under investigation for other serious offences or poses a serious threat to the person or property of anyone.

He explained that in June 2014, it was observed that there were frequent incidents where members of the public were arrested and kept in custody for minor offences and in some cases no offence.

Adding that Police Commissioner Persaud back then had order with immediate effect that commanders put systems in place to prevent such incidents, Ramnarine said these systems should include, but not limited to communication by all patrols in the operations room in each division.

Whenever that patrol decides to engage any member of the public, the communication must be recorded and the signature of the person in-charge of the enquiries office must also be present on every data entry for arrest made, indicating that he or she is satisfied that the arrest is justified.

BAIL
According to the Laws of Guyana, bail is money paid and/or property lodged as security to ensure that a person charged with a criminal offence appears at her or his trial.

When bail is lodged, the person is released from police custody. Bail is not available to persons charged with murder, treason or some narcotics offences.
When bail is available, it may be granted at the police station (while investigations are being carried out), by a magistrate or by a judge of the High Court.

If a person has been arrested and taken to a police station and the officer-in- charge decides that the offence is not of a serious nature, she/he can grant bail.

It may be a condition of bail that the person reports to the police station when required. When bail is granted a record is made of it and a receipt given to the person paying bail.

The bail money and /or property will be returned either when the police drop the matter or the person bailed is charged and appears in court. A person charged with a criminal offence can be granted bail by a magistrate or judge with or without an application for it having been made.