THAT crime is a challenge for almost every state within the international system is incontestable. What determines the levels of every police service’s success in being able to combat this daily threat to society and its citizens, are their levels of preparedness to respond to criminal activity wherever such is occurring.

For small developing states as Guyana, crime has grown four-fold in recent years and has been a pre-occupation for administrations in the past, and now for the current government. For no longer is criminality in Guyana confined to the capital city; it has now extended its reach into every region, assuming very violent proportions within recent years.

Gone are the days of the common burglary – this has now largely been replaced by armed home invasions; or the once-simple choke and rob, which is now enforced by the gun. Coupled with these with the now organised crime, and its main components of drug trafficking and cartels and arms smuggling, one will understand that any response from the law enforcement agencies has to be not only proactive, but also emanating from a position of having the requisite, equal resources to such serious opposition.

Without any hint at pretence, the all-too-common response from the various Guyana Police Force community stations, that they cannot send ranks or they do not have transportation to answer a particular emergency, while being well known, has caused many a criminal to escape, to offend again. And this has not been made any easier by an almost unresponsive 911 system, that has only recently been properly restored, after years of neglect.

Monday’s handing over of US$2.6M of what can be described as much-needed equipment and machinery to the Guyana Police Force from the People’s Republic of China could not have taken place at a more opportune time. The assets received by the Guyana Police Force from the People’s Republic of China — 56 pickups, 44 motorcycles, 35 ATVs, five motor buses, 550 protective gear items, 70 computers (desktops and laptops), 10 scanners, 10 printers, 10 photocopying machines, 30 decibel meters and five generator sets.

Some of these can be described as strategic, such as the computers which will give more muscle to the Crime Observatory Unit, and the integrated network system; the all-terrain vehicles that will be able to traverse the hilly terrain of the vast hinterland space, where there has been a hive of dangerous criminal activity of a transnational nature, that involves local elements; the motor cycles, that will give further impetus to the traffic department. With this donation it is time for the police to consider creating a Highway Patrol Unit. In fact, with vehicular accidents, with multiple fatalities now a regular feature on Guyana’s roadways, in regions such as West Bank Demerara and Corentyne/Berbice, there is an urgent need for increased police traffic patrols as a means of better traffic supervision.

We would perceive that these pick-ups will be distributed to especially police locations, where there are constant calls for assistance from the public, and will be used to effect multiple conveyance of alleged suspects. Additionally, the buses and pickups can also take back up additional ranks for enforcement and to secure crime scenes where large crowds are wont to contaminate. There can be no more excuses for non-response.

Already, plans are in train for each region to have its own police division and commander. This, we opine, will be very effective, particularly in the hinterland regions, that have now become an intense area of security observation. Coupled with the on-going training of law enforcement personnel, and the Security Sector Reform Programme, the Guyana Police Force is now being positioned to become a transformed agency with greater professionalism, and modernity, as it seeks to offer a better service to the public.