CHIEF Constable of the City Constabulary Department in the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) Andrew Foo has reported that there has been a spike in robberies in areas such as Stabroek, Avenue of the Republic and Regent Street, which has been observed over the past two to three months. Just recently, there were about three robberies in one day outside City Hall.

As such, he said it is necessary that the council places more emphasis on the police department and move towards rehabilitating the training facility on Water Street.
A lot of foreigners are being targeted, Foo noted, because criminals realise that these individuals often leave the country without lodging any official reports. “So they are made soft targets,” Foo noted at a press conference at City Hall Wednesday.

He said what is also worrying and of concern is the fact that the perpetrators of these robberies are not old characters known to the constabulary.

Foo believes that not enough emphasis is being placed on security by the City Council.
But Mayor Patricia Chase-Green in an interview, told reporters that she was surprised at Foo’s statement that enough was not being done for the department. “Over the years, we have been looking at that department. Yes, there are some shortfalls, but there are some managerial problems also that regardless of how much money you pour into the constabulary, you still would not get the required results, if we have managerial deficiencies,” she said.

Chase-Green added that the entire constabulary needs upgrading. “If you look at it and are being realistic, we have not been able to get as much as we ought to be getting out of the constabulary.”

Although credit has to be given for the work the department has been doing, she said there has to be more coming out of them. “If they put their hearts and hands fully into it and I don’t think all of them…has been that committed in putting in that amount of work.”
She said she was hearing for the first time from the media that there has been a spike in robberies. “And if there is an increase, the chief constable must say what his plans are. It’s not for the council; it’s for the chief constable to put in place a plan to ensure that wherever there is an increase in crime, he has adequate security. What he has to do is bring his plan to the council.”

New uniform
Meanwhile, the City Constabulary, currently hosting a week of activities to mark its 181st anniversary, has changed its officers’ uniforms from all-over black, to a blue top and black bottom.

The change, effected at a church service last Sunday to kick off the celebration, is valued at $6M, although some aspects of the new uniform are still to be achieved.
Foo told reporters that the uniform was changed because of a number of complaints that the black ones attracted and retained much heat.

He explained, too, that the previous uniform quickly became discoloured and resulted in a number of health-related issues such as skin rashes and so forth. Officers were able to communicate their preference regarding the new uniform and the new one picked was of a better quality material.

Meanwhile, the week of activities includes a fitness walk from the University of Guyana to City Hall, a feeding programme at a children’s home, a day of sports at the East Ruimveldt playfield and a Bar-B-Que social for members of the constabulary.
Foo said the events all had to be kept on a small scale because of the financial constraints of the City Council.

According to the chief constable, the constabulary is currently understaffed by more than 100 officers. It currently has 191 uniformed officers and 70 auxiliary security guards.
Due to the lack of resources, foot and vehicular patrols have been limited and have not been in keeping with what is expected of the department, Foo noted. He said he is still hoping that the numbers on staff will be increased, because he believes that the presence of uniformed personnel in the streets would reduce robberies and other criminal activities.