THE Guyana Police Force (GPF) has featured many times in this column. It is not that delight is taken in doing so; but the fact that it has been done is because this agency is charged with the maintenance of law and order: this translates into protecting citizens and ensuring their safety from criminal attacks; it will therefore always be the subject of scrutiny, because of the conduct of its members.

A Police Service Commission (PSC) is now functioning and a newly appointed police commissioner and high-command staff are now in office. The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is therefore now on a trajectory which must only advance and improve its public image, particularly in its cooperation with the public through its continuous skills training programmes for ranks, in both academic and professional skills. Of course, the disciplinary side is mandatory, which is about the conduct of its members, whether on or off duty. All this will have to be within consideration of the Security Sector Reform Programme (SSRP), the blueprint for a new GPF, imbued with professionalism for a 21st century arena of high-rise criminal challenges.

The greatest challenge that could face any police agency is the conduct of its members; and Guyana has been no exception in this regard, as had been the experience during the years of the former political administration; then, there was a systematic destruction of policing standards and professionalism. However, there is now great hope for a better police force that has commenced since 2015 and is now being consolidated for taking the law-enforcement agency to a new level.

There have been better crime-solving successes as evidenced with the many cold cases that have been solved; crime suspects are being quickly apprehended, charged and placed before the courts. In fact, there are hardly murders which are committed within recent years that are not quickly solved.
Critical to these successes has been greater and better improved cooperation with the general public, which is a key element for the success of any police force in its efforts to combat crime; it is however still is a work in progress, which will become further improved with time.

More policemen are being given opportunities for the furtherance of their crime-fighting skills, by being sent to many of the known police academies overseas. But not only are technical training skills opportunities being offered, but also tertiary-level training. This is evident in the recent graduation of 29 ranks — beginning from the most junior to the senior levels — with Bachelors and Master’s Degrees, and diplomas. It is instructive to note that there is a banking and finance graduate among the latter.

This is a new vista as far as higher education for police ranks is concerned, since no longer are such opportunities seemingly confined to the police force’s most senior ranks. It is also timely to say the least, given the fact that with the sophisticated nature of modern criminality, there is the absolute need for better equipped police minds.

This is necessary for understanding the societal dynamics of crime, with regard to its evolutionary causes, its effects on its victims and how it is viewed by society. Above all, such higher training will impart a greater appreciation within ranks as to the importance of bringing criminals to justice. For their achievements, the successful ranks are to be congratulated, as well as the GPF’s administration for supporting them during their studies. Local law enforcement can only benefit from these policemen/women.

Finally, it is worthy of note that disciplinary measures are not being overlooked: police officers, irrespective of rank, are now treated in the same manner as civilians in relation to any violation of the law by being placed before the courts for offences. It signals an administration that intends to uphold the strict disciplinary code of its organisation, without fear or favour. A new-look police force is gradually emerging.