Police Commander assures Berbicians of reduced crime rate

Feb 08, 2010 News

NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – “We would be hot on their heels.” This is a promise from Commander of Division ‘B’ of the Guyana Police Force, Assistant Commissioner, Steve Merai, as ranks in Berbice grapple with what appears to be an escalating crime rate.

To control and reduce this spate of crime, the Division activated similar strategies to those used during the Christmas period along with new ones. In November 2009, there were nine gun robberies in Division ‘B’ and two in December 2009. The Commander indicated this was a direct result of the beefed up anti-crime campaign during the festive season which saw Berbicians enjoying a crime free Christmas. But somehow or the other things relaxed and criminal elements sensed this and grabbed the opportunity.

Areas such as New Amsterdam, Corriverton, Rose Hall Town, the West Coast and West Bank of Berbice are said to be under control but the trouble areas are those between the Central and Upper Corentyne. It is suspected that one or more gangs may be at work in these locations.

The Commander believes that Berbicians generally take things for granted and urged that business operatives need to be more security conscious. This sentiment was also verbalised by his predecessor, Assistant Commissioner George Alexander Vyphuis, who had condemned the laidback attitude of some businessmen toward the safety of their concern and staff members.

Last month, there were at least three murders in Division ‘B’ and in two of the cases, suspects have been placed before the courts. The first involved a three-week old baby (Alvin Felix) who was allegedly killed by his 29-year old mother. The woman appeared before Magistrate Nigel Hawke at the Blairmont Magistrate’s Court and was remanded to prison. The next court date is February 16th. The baby’s body was fished out of a canal at Weldaad on the West Coast Berbice on January 25th.

The other was when 28-year old Muneshwar Persaud of Belvedere Squatting Area, Corentyne and 17-year old Simon Pulingum of Lot 52 Second Street, Number One Road, Corentyne were slapped with manslaughter charges at the Albion Magistrate’s Court.

The alleged crime was committed on January, 2010, at Number Four Dam in Albion when watchman 62-year old Dhanpaul of Number One Road on the Corentyne was shot dead on his work site.

The men, who were also employees of the said livestock farm, appeared before Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo who remanded them to prison. They are scheduled to make another appearance tomorrow.

The third homicide was at Line Path on January 25th and this one is still under investigation.

According to him, from all indications, there seems to be a rise in the number of carnal knowledge incidents this year. Almost every week a report is recorded and many of the men have been charged.

There were at least four major robberies in January in East Canje, Chesney, Yakusari and at Bush Lot Farm on the Corentyne. The Commander said that two persons were charged for the robbery in East Canje and the hunt is on for the third.

When questioned about corrupt ranks in his flock, the Commander cited lack of public co-operation and the fact that there is no solid evidence to support the claims.

He acknowledged that there are a few ranks who are not performing up to standard and many are too ‘chummy’ with criminal elements.

These are the ones who may be feeding information to the shady characters. One of the systems in place to deal with this is to send anti-crime patrols from one geographic area within the Division to make an arrest in another.

He believes there is the general perception that police ranks cannot be trusted and as such some members of the public are reluctant to come forward with information. He called this a form of cancer that is eating away on the public/police relationship. To correctly handle this situation, a number of programmes were put in place to allow for greater interaction and for police ranks to truly serve and protect. These include community outreach sessions and youth clubs.

To strengthen his point, Commander Merai cited the East Canje robbery where residents gave chase and were able to nab one of the suspects carrying the bag with the loot after the incident in which a gun was used last month.

There is no special day set aside for members of the public to meet with the Commander.

“I have an open door policy. Any day you go to see any officer he must see you and if you are not satisfied with that them come to me. I am here along with my team to serve and protect. We are under oath when it comes to reports being made to the police. We have to treat each report equally, do just and fairly investigate.”

It also appears that the Berbice’s Top Cop may be on a mission to achieve an unblemished character in the eyes of the public during his stint in the Ancient County.

“I have to abide by the law. I must be able to justify actions taken by or instructions given to all police ranks below me. I would have to maintain a posture of being clean. Once I do this, I expect the ones below me to follow. Those who don’t would not be tolerated in the Division.”

Serving for several of years at the Criminal Investigation Department and also as a previous head of the Homicide Squad, Assistant Commissioner Steve Merai said anti-crime operations are all within his forte as well as plotting strategies to counteract criminal elements. But this cannot be a one-man show. “You need a heavy input from CID, support from other departments like General Duty and Traffic. What we are heavily relying on now is intelligence led policing.”

Meanwhile, what some may call police brutality; the Commander explained maybe just some amount of force which is permitted to effect an arrest. Since his arrival in Berbice on November 19th, 2009, there have been no complaints of police brutality.