By Indrawattie Natram
SERIOUS crimes in Region Two and on the Essequibo Islands of Wakenaam and Leguan have decreased significantly due to teamwork and preventive policing from ranks in ‘G’ Division.

This is according to Divisional Commander Khali Pareshram, who reported a 42 per cent drop in serious crimes last year and pointed out that for the comparative period January 1 to 31, there was no increase.
He said success in crime-fighting in the division is due to ‘team policing’ and advanced training. This strategy, the commander said, has boosted morale of his men and won the confidence of communities.

Mobility of the police in the division was enhanced in 2017 with the introduction of bicycle patrols, which enabled cops to visit communities, thereby strengthening relations with residents.
Officers who will be patrolling communities on bicycles will soon be uniformed.
Within the division, there are two major ports of entries, namely, Supenaam and Charity and countless ‘Stop-and-search’ exercises are conducted at these locations, resulting in the unearthing of narcotics and illegal weapons.

Commander Pareshram said by March 2018, two stations will be equipped with modern ID parade rooms and rooms for domestic violence cases. Children will also be accommodated in a different room in domestic violence cases.
However, while crime in the division has been under control, also due to better relations with the public and business community, a major challenge remains: persons are often reluctant to give statements whenever called upon as witnesses.

The commander is hoping that 2018 is a better year for the region and called for the cooperation of residents in the fight against illegal activities. He also called on youths from various communities to enrol in the police youth groups.
The division thus far has 11 youth groups, all of which keep youths actively involved.
A modern solar-powered, two-storey police station is currently under construction at Aurora village, Region Two. The station, being built to the tune of $39 million, will be equipped with additional rooms to handle domestic violence cases.

The project is being funded under a remodelled Inter-American Development Bank Loan (IDB) loan and was awarded to Rajubir and Sons Contracting Service.
Pareshram said the project is expected to be completed within a seven-month period and will be equipped with an identification parade room using a one-way mirror, a waiting area for victims, living quarters for female and male ranks, a case-management room, a CID area, traffic department and rooms for female prisoners.

The ID parade room will have a one-way mirror, the first of its kind for ‘G’ division.
This will ensure comfort and security for victims seeking justice, since the suspect would not see the victim or have any contact, allowing CID ranks to effectively conduct their investigations in a more comfortable manner.

In the meantime, officers from the Aurora Police Station are currently utilising the Aurora Health Centre to handle reports. The Suddie Police Station is also being used to house female prisoners. Recently, the station also acquired a new 4×4 vehicle under a Chinese grant to assist in crime-fighting.

Several police stations are currently being upgraded, including the Suddie and Leguan police stations.
Last year, the Anna Regina Police Station was renovated and despite some disruption caused by construction work, ranks remain on high alert, Commander Pareshram.