THE Guyana Police Force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has taken its public-awareness and accountability drive to Region One, engaging police ranks and residents on professional standards, ethical conduct and mechanisms for addressing complaints.
The outreach, conducted from September 14 to 18, formed part of the OPR’s efforts to strengthen accountability within the Force while improving relations and public confidence between police and the communities they serve.
Regional Division One Commander, Senior Superintendent K. Ramana, together with Superintendent C. Duncan and Assistant Superintendent P. Narine, attended the opening session and introduced the OPR team to ranks in the region.
Inspector Osafa Hamilton and Sergeant Shane Tobin led the lectures and discussions during the outreach.
The exercise began at the Mabaruma Police Station, where ranks received guidance on work ethics, standard police procedures, the proper handling of evidence and protocols governing complaints against members of the Force.
The OPR team also engaged members of the public, with ranks accompanied by Superintendent Duncan meeting market vendors, business owners and taxi drivers.
During those engagements, residents were provided with information on how to raise grievances and contact the OPR directly when they have concerns involving members of the Police Force.
The outreach subsequently took the team to Port Kaituma and Matthew’s Ridge, where similar discussions were held with police ranks and residents.
The engagements formed part of the OPR’s broader focus on promoting professional conduct within the Force while ensuring that members of the public are aware of the channels available to them when seeking redress or clarification on police-related concerns.
The initiative also provided an opportunity for police and residents in the remote communities to interact directly, with the OPR reinforcing the importance of ethical conduct, accountability and effective communication in maintaining public trust.