–encourages ranks to foster greater police-community relationships

COMMISSIONER of Police Clifton Hicken on Monday issued a scathing warning to traffic and patrol ranks to desist from stopping persons on the road without their body cameras.
The ‘Top Cop,’ in the company of his Executive Leadership Team, emphasised the importance of wearing this device during a meeting with officers and ranks of Regional Division 4(B) at the Police Officers Mess Annexe, Eve Leary.
According to information from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Hicken encouraged ranks to stop asking for licences/fitness without the body cams, and to focus more on positively engaging members of the public.
The ‘Top Cop’ during the meeting also discussed the ongoing developments taking place in the force and highlighted the pillars of the force’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.

As part of that strategic plan, Commissioner Hicken shared that emphasis will be placed on improving infrastructure, operations, developing human resources and building meaningful partnerships with the public and all communities across Guyana.
The Commissioner Hicken stressed the importance of working together to foster better police-community relationships.

This, he said, will not only significantly aid in the fight against crime, but will also play an integral role in the development of Guyana and its citizens.
The meeting, according to the police, took a more proactive approach in which the ranks were able to share with Commissioner Hicken and the Deputy Commissioners present, some of the issues hampering their policing efforts, as well as the effective discharge of their duties in the region.
The discussion, which is one in a series of planned engagements to be held with ranks across Guyana, is in keeping with the Commissioner and his Executive Leadership Team’s commitment to inspire all officers to work in unity and in a professional manner, to deliver quality law enforcement service to all citizens of this country.

Commissioner Hicken and his team reiterated the importance of crime prevention and safeguarding the communities in which they ‘police’ and live.
They urged the ranks to uphold the integrity of the force, and to make sure that whatever they do is in keeping with the Standing Orders and the SOPs.

In their charge to the ranks, Deputy Commissioners Ravindradat Budhram, Errol Watts, Wendell Blanhum and Simon McBean, shared the same sentiments, emphasising the need for unity and collaboration amongst ranks from the various sections of the force in the fight against crime. The senior officers also called on the attendees to be cognisant of their attitude, conduct and deportment as law enforcement officers and to be professional at all times.