Police reward 981 ranks with whopping $9M payout

Jul 29, 2010 News

The Guyana Police Force yesterday handed out a whopping $9M to close to a thousand ranks for what Commissioner Henry Greene described as their sterling performance so far for the year.
The Force’s main anti crime arm, the Tactical Services Unit received a whopping $500,000, while the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters copped $300,000, followed by the Special Branch with $200,000. Division B, for its recent crackdown on drug cultivation, was rewarded with $300,000, so too was Division A.

Police commissioner Henry Greene poses with the recipients of special awards.

The other Divisions each received $250,000.
Yesterday’s presentation was the first for the year and coincides with the force’s 171st anniversary.
The initiative was started a decade ago under former Commissioner Laurie Lewis. Over the years the force has handed out more than $60M to its ranks who have contributed to improving the image of the organization through their diligence.
But while the force continues to recognize the outstanding contribution of ranks in the execution of their duty, the Commissioner lashed out at who he described as detractors from the truth.
“There is nobody who will beat your trumpet for you; we have to blow our own trumpet. Many of you know that the Police Force is very often the target of so many people. If a civilian does something out there …there is no hullabaloo about it, but the slightest mistake a policeman makes…there is a massive hullabaloo. It’s almost like if a policeman should not make a mistake. It’s almost as though you should be Godlike or Christ-like,” the Commissioner told the audience at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, which included, retired officers of the force.
He pointed to the fact that although the police have a Herculean task, being short by more than 700 ranks, the organization has managed to maintain its patrols, both vehicular and foot, and has also managed to keep a lid on criminal activities.
According to Greene, unlike Guyana, many other countries including the developed world have had difficult battles maintaining the lid on crime.
“You go to the Caribbean, and there are very few places (where) you see policemen on the streets…compared to what we do. The negative aspects of the force always come out but today we’re dealing with the positives,” Greene said.
According to the Commissioner, for this year so far, the serious crime figure is 30 percent less than the previous year.
In Division A the figure is minus nine percent compared to that of 2009. Division B has recorded a 19 percent drop; C Division, once described as the country’s crime capital, showed minus 31 percent; Interior Division, minus 20 percent and Essequibo, minus 35 percent in terms of serious crimes.
Only the West Demerara is showing an 18 percent increase. “Isn’t that a lot to shout about?” the Police Commissioner asked.
Greene referred to the recent Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police Annual Conference in the British Virgin Islands.
“The Commissioners were all complaining about a rise in crime in their different countries, albeit small islands, bigger countries, and we were there talking about our decline,” Greene said, adding that he was able to share some of the reasons for Guyana’s position, including the increasing of anti crime legislations.
The Commissioner pointed to the plea bargain legislation, which he said contributed to the demise of the infamous gang, which was headed by the now dead Rondell ‘Fine Man’ Rawlins.
Greene also pointed to the reduction in the number of police fatal shootings which has dropped to only four so far this year when compared to 31 in 2002. In 2003 there were 36 such shootings.
He acknowledged that there are some ‘bad eggs’ within the organization but stressed that the force has been doing everything within its power to root them out. “We are not hiding anything, action is being taken,” he said.
According to figures compiled by the force, the Office of Professional Responsibility has been investigating hundreds of cases of police misconduct per year.
In 2007, 168 cases were investigated; 2008, 178; 2009, 135, and so far for this year, the OPR has conducted investigations into 63 reports of police transgressions.
He said that 86 ranks have been interdicted and are facing criminal charges.
“I will not stand for errant ranks in the force. It is not for the want of trying that we have recalcitrant ranks,” Greene said. He said that the Force’s focus now is to maintain its integrity and professionalism in the face of the constant criticisms, adding that unlike many other law enforcement agencies, the Guyana Police Force is recruiting persons with just basic primary or secondary education.
However, he was quick to point out that there are highly qualified persons entering the force every year.
Apart from the individual awardees, the Commissioner also announced awards to several departments and divisions for their respective roles in keeping crime and road accidents to manageable levels.