WHEN Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond told the Guyana Police Force that “public trust is the currency on which policing survives,” she highlighted the main issue in local law enforcement.
The problem is not a lack of buildings or equipment, but a loss of confidence. The government’s significant investments—37 new and improved police facilities, five new command centres in 2025, thousands of body cameras, and a larger Safe City surveillance network—are important.
However, concrete and cameras cannot fix a reputation damaged by abuse, corruption, and neglect. Only a clear and disciplined break from a culture of impunity can achieve that. Walrond’s reaffirmation of a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct, following allegations against senior officers involving female subordinates, admits that the abuse of power is real. These issues are not exceptions. They point to deeper problems in supervision, discipline, and ethics.
To her credit, Walrond has been clear. She talks about building a Police Force “Guyanese can trust.” She insists that the “authority of the uniform” means nothing without accountability and warns that “resources alone cannot protect the reputation of this institution; only integrity, discipline, and leadership can.”
That is the right assessment. But the solution must go beyond speeches, discussions, and internal reviews to real guarantees. This includes independent civilian oversight of complaints, transparent reporting on disciplinary results, and protection for whistleblowers within the Force. Without these measures, “zero tolerance” risks becoming just a catchphrase.
A state can build a modern training academy, open new stations from Imbotero to Paramakatoi, and invest over $34 billion into the Police Force in a single budget, yet still leave citizens feeling afraid of, rather than safe with, those in uniform. Guyana’s growth demands a similar shift in policing culture. It must be based on empathy, restraint, and service, not just capacity.
Walrond’s statement that “the time for decisive leadership…is now” should be taken seriously. The government has done the groundwork, and the approach to policing must change. Every new station should serve as a gateway to justice that ordinary people can genuinely trust.