Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Police celebrate 174th anniversary in Berbice
“I am asking you as we celebrate our 174th Anniversary to come on board with us…We cannot do it alone.”
The Police Commander of ‘B’ Division, Senior Superintendent Clifton Hicken made an appeal to members of civil society to come on board and to assist the police with the execution of their duties. He was speaking at the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Thanksgiving and Interfaith Service in observance of the 174TH Anniversary of the organization, yesterday, at the Divisional Headquarters in New Amsterdam.
A section of the gathering of ranks from the various disciplined services yesterday.
He said that having experienced 174 years, the police force is very much a part of civil society. “They have Godly laws and Earthly laws—and that is where we [the force] come into play.”
He noted that the organization was established to ensure that humans don’t impede on the rights of others. “Our society is going through a change.”
He spoke about how globalized the world is becoming especially as it relates to technology. “We are required to exhibit to a professional Code of Conduct when dealing with members of the public.”
Hicken added, “You have to come on board with us in order for us to achieve our goals and objectives in the force.”
He stated that the GPF is going through a modernization process at the end of which the Strategic Action Plan will be realized. He also praised the construction of the state-of-the-art Forensic Lab in Georgetown. “That is to make our work easier and accessible to technology.”
The senior rank noted that while some of the members of the public are supportive of the police from time to time, others are not. In the aspect of the media, he stated, “They are the ones giving us the glory and they are the ones who are sending the message to society whenever there is misconduct by members of the force.”
Hicken said that, instead of getting into confrontation with defaulting police officers, the public should approach the Management Committees or senior ranks of the police stations and let their complaints be heard.
There is also the Community Policing Group (CPG)” and we are doing as much as we could to ensure we gel with society.”
The Commander noted the importance of the core values in the police force and stressed that they be respected and upheld at all times. The force, he added, is in the stage of development and it will be a gradual process which “cannot be done drastically”.
“As we develop, we will want you to keep embracing your faith and put the Lord first in the GPF, because only the blessing of the Lord can change us to be the type of force we want.”
L to R: Commander Hicken, Traffic Chief Brutus, Representative of Republic Bank and St. Francis Community Developers President, Mr. Alex Foster.
He urged everyone to “put the past behind, to start a new step and let’s live in love—If you see we’re doing wrong…don’t upbraid us in a manner that can cause confrontation, but get on to the leaders or superior of these people so that we can deal with it and can have a professional force so that we can provide the service that are required by you, the members of the public, who are paying taxes for us to support and protect you.”
Pastor Wilbert Daniels was the guest speaker at the event while other religious leaders offered prayers for a ‘cleaner’ and less corrupt police force in Guyana.
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