Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

Police Force recruiting more females than males

Jan 20, 2009 News

By Dale Andrews

 

As the attrition rate in the Guyana Police Force widens, the organisation has recorded a significantly higher percentage of women than men in the recruitment drive for last year.

This newspaper was reliably informed that the force recruited 218 persons last year, of which a whopping 150 were females.

While the situation has allowed for the release of more male ranks to perform patrol duties, it is worrying, since the force is already short of men to effectively contribute to its rapid response initiative.

Most of the females recruited have been deployed to boost up the force’s office staff.

“Frontline policing requires men, and we are working with what we have,” a senior police officer told this newspaper.

However, since the commencement of the new year, the force has recruited 39 persons so far, of which only seven are women. This is compared with 13 persons recruited for the same period last year.

“In most cases, the women who are joining the force now are single parents looking for employment,” the officer pointed out.

Senior Training Officer, retired Assistant Commissioner Clinton Conway, disclosed that despite the slow rate of recruitment and the low wages, the force has been attracting persons with good qualifications.

“Only last week we had a man with nine CXC subjects coming to join the force,” Conway told this newspaper.

He explained that the force has a walk-in interviewing process from Monday to Friday, where anyone can come in and write the entrance examination to become a member of the force, instead of waiting until an organised recruitment drive is in place.

This newspaper understands that more persons are leaving the force than those who are entering, a situation that is worrying, given the shortage currently being experienced by the organization.

Meanwhile, training of ranks to enable them to respond to situations that require armed police presence is ongoing.

Following the Lusignan and Bartica massacres last year, Police Commissioner Henry Greene had indicated that he desires more ranks trained in tactical services at every station in the country, to enable the police to respond to any situation.

Since then, a number of ranks, including women, were trained by the Tactical Services Unit.

In fact, it was disclosed that all the ranks on patrol units have tactical services’ training.

Another senior police official disclosed that several ranks who were trained by a British team of trainers have been deployed to all police divisions throughout the country.

The officer stated that this might be responsible for the reduction in criminal activities in the country within the past six months.

“The team that went on the Cromarty Foreshore operation last year, in which James Gibson and two others were killed, was from the special unit that was trained by the British,” the officer told this newspaper.

However, despite deployment of these ranks to the various police divisions, some divisions are woefully short of staff for patrol duties.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 20th, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Rutherford gets big payday from Gujarat Titans at IPL 2025 Mega Auction; Shepherd, Powell snapped up by RCB and KKR, respectively

Rutherford gets big payday from Gujarat Titans at IPL 2025 Mega...

Nov 26, 2024

  SportsMax – Guyanese hard-hitting left hander Sherfane Rutherford will get the opportunity to shine on T20 franchise cricket’s biggest stage once again after being picked up by the...
Read More
Roach and Seales star as West Indies close in on Antigua Test victory

Roach and Seales star as West Indies close in on...

Nov 26, 2024

Delroy Tyrrell continues to excel at Oneonta State University

Delroy Tyrrell continues to excel at Oneonta...

Nov 26, 2024

Ramdass Royals Crowned Champions of the Inaugural Windies Masters Cricket Extravaganza

Ramdass Royals Crowned Champions of the Inaugural...

Nov 26, 2024

KFC Guyana distance self from delayed payment of GFF Elite League prizes

KFC Guyana distance self from delayed payment of...

Nov 26, 2024

Ravens and Royals ready for epic Elite 16 final showdown

Ravens and Royals ready for epic Elite 16 final...

Nov 26, 2024

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]