PSC critical to police force re-organisation

IT is difficult to understand the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo’s claims of “baggage” on the part of Police Service Commission (PSC) member-designate, former assistant commissioner Paul Slowe.

This amounts to a case of pre-judging the performance of the former officer, even before he has commenced his duties on the commission. Jagdeo’s action is therefore suggestive and anticipatory in nature, which is undoubtedly prejudiced.

It would seem that the leader of the opposition is taking issue with Slowe’s findings as the Commissioner of Inquiry (CoI) into the alleged assassination plot against the President, as it relates to the professional conduct of the senior officers who were part of the investigations. If he is, as his many public criticisms of Slowe have suggested, then he is clearly guilty of interfering in a professional process which Slowe had been mandated to carry out. It then became the latter’s responsibility to be professional in his investigations and findings, and subsequent recommendations. Mr Slowe cannot be faulted for doing what his terms of reference had mandated and letting the chips fall where they fell.
Jagdeo should be reminded that if sweeping very important findings against members of the disciplined services, under the carpet, as had been the case with the incident between inmates at the New Amsterdam prison, and the alleged complicit involvement of some prison officers, had been the culture of his former PPP/C administration, then it has not been so with the President Granger administration.

He would have observed that every major incident occurring under the watch of this government has been the subject of detailed enquiries, as to causes, and offering remedies. And as it relates to the Guyana Police Force, for far too long there has been the public perception that incidents in which senior police officers have been involved were either hushed up, ignored, or dealt with in a manner that facilitated the officer being let off, because of rank. Such examples have been the talking point among especially junior ranks, who have been known to complain about the differing standards of measurement in terms of discipline for similar infringements of the disciplinary code. Such a state of affairs cannot inspire sustaining of the disciplinary code, nor inspire confidence among lesser ranks, or respect for the senior echelons.

There is no doubt that what the Slowe CoI laid bare in its findings–grave professional ineptitude pertaining to a serious matter of national security– warranted recommended sanctions on the part of those officers who were in breach. It is standard operating procedure that such be done in any such circumstance, in any jurisdiction, most of all with regard to a reported plot against the life of the country’s head of state.

The PSC is being reconstituted at a time when steps are being taken to overhaul the law-enforcement agency, with the central spotlight on rebuilding its relations with the communities; making it more efficient to respond to criminal threats to society; raising its awareness to its key role in protecting citizens, thus ensuring the safe keep of society; and the all-important objective of developing a cadre of senior officers who are truly professional, and can inspire confidence in its leadership. This is so key in the success or not of policing operations.

Therefore, its role in this gradual renaissance will be important, since its major function is to consider promotional eligibility, in terms of leadership and professional quality. We are assured that the members of the PSC — inclusive of Mr Slowe — are reminded of their important undertaking; themselves being former senior police officers.

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