THE Guyana Police Force recorded a 16 per cent decrease in serious crimes at the end of December 2016, relative to the same period for the previous year.
A statement from the force on Friday said that there has been a six per cent decrease in reports of murder, with a 64 per cent clear-up rate.

A seven per cent decrease in gun-related robberies has been recorded with a 16 per cent clear-up rate, while a 19 per cent decrease was recorded in armed robberies in which other instruments were used, with a clear-up rate of 24 per cent.
Additionally, the force has recorded a 19 per cent decrease in robberies with violence, with a 31 per cent clear-up rate; a seven per cent decrease in robbery with aggravation with a 35 per cent clear-up rate.
Robberies in which no guns or other instruments were used decreased by nine per cent and had a seven per cent clear-up rate.

Furthermore, there was a 27 per cent decrease in larceny from the person, with a 25 per cent clear-up rate; a 21 per cent decrease in rape with a 34 per cent clear- up rate; a 15 per cent decrease in burglaries with a 17 per cent clear-up rate; and a 19 per cent decrease in break and enter and larceny with a 20 per clear-up rate.
The statement said that 109 illegal firearms were taken off the streets in 2016, as compared to 115 in the previous year.
In 2015, 60 pistols, 30 revolvers, 15 shotguns, eight rifles, one pen gun and sub- machine gun were retrieved in 2015.

Last year, 49 pistols, 32 revolvers, 26 shotguns, two rifles, and no pen guns and sub-machine guns were retrieved.
Additionally, the force reported that comparative figures of murder committed for 2015/2016 show that in 2016 there were 12 executions, 26 robberies, 20 domestic crimes, 54 disorderly crimes, and 28 unknown crimes, while in 2015, there were nine execution-style crimes, 24 robberies, 17 domestic crimes, 64 disorderly, 33 unknown crimes and two other crimes.

GAINING PUBLIC TRUST
“The police are increasingly gaining the public’s trust, resulting in a higher level of information-sharing and solving and prevention of serious crimes, inclusive of murder. This is due to the numerous community engagements by divisional commanders and their sub-divisional officers, as well as branch commanders and their teams,” the statement from the Guyana Police Force said.

The force said that local and international training continues to be a top priority at all tiers, and noted that last year, 108 ranks, inclusive of 40 officers, attended courses in over 19 foreign countries, including India, the USA, Russia, Italy and China.
The officers were trained in the areas of Information Technology (IT) in Law Enforcement, Advanced Fingerprint Science, Human-Trafficking, Public Corruption, Mediation Techniques and Illicit Financial Flows and Money- Laundering.

Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force has lauded the efforts made by members of the Cops and Faith Community Network, which was launched in September of 2014.
So far, there have been 343 interventions in cases where juveniles and young persons were first offenders of minor offences. Of this number, 211 were males and the remainder females.
“In all the cases, the youths were counselled by the religious leaders and following the involvement of parents/ guardians, and the victims where necessary, the majority of them were warned and sent away.

HEALTHY INPUTS
The body has also made significant inputs pertaining to the supervision of the learner/drivers theoretical and practical examinations countrywide and also the marking of the aforesaid examinations, as well as their involvement in the counselling of victims of attempted suicide, police ranks who had traumatic experiences, and victims/relatives of senior crimes, including murder, armed robbery, rape and fatal accidents, the statement said.

In the meantime, there was a 10.3 per cent increase in fatal accidents with 128 fatalities recorded at the end of December, as compared to 126 at the end of 2015.
Serious and minor accidents decreased by nine per cent and three per cent respectively, but damage accidents increased by 15 per cent.
“Enforcement is continuous countrywide with special emphasis on driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and use of cellular phones,” the statement added, while indicating that 38 pedestrians, 23 motorcyclists, 19 drivers, 16 pedal cyclists, 14 occupants of cars, 10 passengers in minibuses, five pillion riders, and three occupants in lorries or vans were killed in 2016.

A total of 70, 609 persons were charged with various traffic offences for 2016. Some 26, 266 were charged for speeding; 4,665 for the breach of conditions of road service licences or playing loud music; 3,317 for driving under the influence of alcohol; 1,623 for using cellphones while driving; 1,627 for breach of traffic light signals; 1,435 for tinted motor vehicles; 1,701 for unlicensed drivers; 2,806 for failure to wear seat belts; 1440 persons were charged for dangerous driving; while 1496 were charged with careless driving.

Other charges included 1,317 persons charged for failure to wear safety helmets; 4,111 persons for overloading minibuses; 2,381 for obstruction of justice; 3,301 for failing to conform to signs and 1,966 for crossing double yellow lines, while charges for other offences totalled 11,157.