PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has disclosed that government plans to develop and implement ‘Smart policing’ systems to improve the accessibility and efficiency of the Guyana Police Force.
The system would allow for the strategic implementation of technology in the day-to-day operations of the Police Force.

This disclosure was made at the recent opening ceremony of the Police Officers’ Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

This is, indeed, a commendable initiative by President Ali, which would impact positively on the reduction of crime in Guyana. And while there has been some significant progress in terms of crime-fighting over the past few years, much more can be done in terms of strategically positioning the Force to fight crime.

Crime and criminal activities have become much more technologically-driven today than in the past, and the Police Force has to be in a position to respond through better and more sophisticated crime-fighting technologies and intelligence-gathering systems. This is exactly what President Ali, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is doing.

There is no question that the security forces in the country have been significantly strengthened in recent years in terms of capacity-building and institutional strengthening. And, according to the Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie, there was an 18 per cent reduction in serious crimes in 2021 compared to the previous year, which he credited to innovative strategies being employed by members of the Police Force.

This is good news, for which the Police Force must be commended. As Guyana becomes more tourism-oriented, the need to ensure a safe and secure environment becomes a national imperative, and the idea of smart policing, as envisaged by the President all the more critical.

The fact is that the country is today enjoying a level of prosperity never before experienced. Guyana is definitely on a fast growth trajectory, and, as observed by President Ali, “aggregate investments, both private and public, are increasing; citizens are investing in new homes, cars and other personal belongings; businesses are expanding; those making these investments are doing so with the understanding that the country will boost security to protect them and their business.”

This is exactly what smart policing will do; it will help to create that environment of safety and security of person and property. Indeed, a major element of smart policing is the implementation of a digital platform for tracking crime, including traffic offences. In this regard, discussions have already started with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), with the intention of having that feature incorporated on all of the major highways. This system will incorporate fixed-speed radars on main roads in order to identify those who violate the traffic laws of the country, and to have such infractions photographed for necessary action.

This is a forward-looking move, and will greatly eliminate allegations by motorists of police harassment and bribe-taking. Indeed, this development will bring Guyana in line with that of the more advanced countries in terms of speed control measures and ticketing procedures.

As noted by President Ali, the infrastructure of such a facility could be costly but necessary as the country progresses along the lines of a modern and law-governed society.

It is no secret that the attitude of some members of the Police Force leaves much to be desired, both from the standpoint of ethics, morality and professionalism. Thankfully, such actions are not pervasive, and do not in any way characterise the Force, but it does underscore the need for training and re-training. In this regard, the disclosure by President Ali of the proposed establishment of a Regional Police Academy is a forward-looking move which could raise the bar and enhance of the professionalism and integrity in the sphere of policing and security.

The President could not have been more candid on the issue of security when he said that when it comes to the security of the Guyanese people, it cannot be “business as usual”. Safety of the Guyanese people is a top priority of the PPP/C administration, as could be seen from the massive injection of $47.9 billion into the security sector in the 2022 national budget.