AS the Guyana Police Force continues to receive assistance to strengthen its capacity, 21 of its members, from Constables to Deputy Superintendents, were on Thursday awarded certificates of participation in a key opinion leadership course they’d undergone in the last three months.

The course was sponsored by the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Programmes, while the graduation ceremony was held at the Guyana Police Force Officers College in Georgetown.

According to Justice Education Society Project Manager in Guyana, Ms Evelyn Neaman, participants were trained in the areas of crime scene and major case management, investigative interviewing, forensic video analysis and police prosecution.
They were also exposed to days of playing the role of course facilitators and organisers, and engaging in the reading of books where they shared their thoughts during a review process.

Neaman is of the view that the group of 21 officers are now ready to lead, and are prepared to take up leadership roles going forward.
And with the Justice Education Project coming to a close here shortly, she said the idea from the inception was to ensure that those who would have undergone training through the project are ready to act as facilitators as the Force seeks to build its own capacity.

As Commissioner of Police acting David Ramnarine observed, in today’s world, it is absolutely necessary for policemen and women to understand that policing is no longer just about having the height, baton, firearm and handcuffs, but also the intellectual armament to continually improve themselves as they serve the organisation.

As such, he said, training is not only invaluable, but must be remedial and relevant, and geared to preparing them for qualitative response, knowledge and skills.
Said he: “I caution you the ranks to put what you have been taught into good use. Use the knowledge and skills for the god as the force is increasingly under the microscope.”

He further stated that of all the things affecting the Guyana Police Force and its professionalism is the fact that ranks know what to do, have the skills to do what has to be done, but the attitude towards executing these things is not right and that usually leaves a huge question mark.

Ms. Alexandra King, Political and Economic Chief at the United States Embassy in Guyana sought to remind ranks that knowledge does not decay or rust and as such it’s always there to share with other persons.

And in calling on participants to share what they would have learnt in the last three months with their colleagues in an effort to bring about positive change among them, Ms King said that a better equipped police force means a safer Guyana, which in turn means a more secure region and by extension a more prosperous world for all of us.

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, who was the last to speak at the function, urged ranks not to see themselves as vessels to be filled, but rather as lamps to be lit and shine.

“Many times I have noticed that nice programmes come, and when the players leave, the passion and so on die. We must have people who will ensure that it flows from there,” he said.

He also called on the Guyana Police Force to get involved in doing more of its own programmes aimed at capacity building.