Albouystown residents feel betrayed by Top Cop

Apr 17, 2014 News

-condemns hostility of police ranks
The move by the recently appointed Top Cop, Seelall Persaud, to increase foot patrols in the Albouystown area, under the guise of improving safety within the community, appeared to have backfired.
The residents are accusing the police of severe harassment.

One of the police officers checks a motorcycle.

“Frightened” residents are now calling on Persaud to remove the officers, whose only motive seems to be to “terrorize members of the community.”
The police move in Albouystown is being seen as a forced occupation of the community.
In light of recent promises made by the Top Cop during his visit to the neighbourhood last week, residents now say that they feel betrayed. The Commissioner of Police made a promise to renew the relationship between residents of Albouystown and the Police Force with the launching of a community project.
On Tuesday, officers were conducting a search at a house in Curtis Street while the occupants were out.
Neighbours said that they had to shout repeatedly at the ranks and advised them to not enter the home in the occupants’ absence. Their advice however, was met with hostility from the heavily armed police ranks.
“Just the other day the Commissioner come in here and tell we how he got a set of things that he gonna do to help improve the community. We were happy to hear that. He wants us to feel safe and he wants us to work along with him.
“But on Tuesday the police storm in here and point gun in people face asking for somebody that we don’t know about. Then they rush in this big yard here and they were kicking down the door. Everybody shouting at them telling them don’t kick down the door because nobody is home but they continued and stop when they feel like.”
“The police asking fuh a different kind ah relationship with we but this prove that is all talk. You can’t get people fuh wuk along with you by terrorizing them. That is not de way to go.”
A worried mother of two added, “I am used to this. The police treat us like if everybody in this area is a pack of criminals. They say one thing and do something else. They come and pointing guns in people face and rushing in people place like they have no regard for us. How they expect us not to fear them when they behave like this?”
When this publication made an attempt to ascertain from one of the officers on Tuesday last why that particular section of the area was being searched, he suggested that all queries be directed to the Public Relations Officer of the Guyana Police Force.
Yesterday, the momentum seemed to increase. Some two dozen police ranks were patrolling the streets of Albouystown, some in groups of five. They targeted Callender, King Edward, Victoria and Cooper Streets.

Some of the police officers who got into a confrontation with residents of Curtis Street, after a hostile search

At the sight of the media, scores of residents rushed out to relate their frustration over the actions of the police.
One female resident of Cooper Street said, “They deh up and down the street and as soon as they see you they stopping you. You go into a shop to buy groceries and when you come out they want to see in your bag. I have never felt this scared. This is not protection it is harassment. We told them if they serious about solving crime they need to come at night but they don’t listen. There is a particular drug yard that we told them about but you think they got time to pay attention to that? Not at all.”
“We resent their behaviour. The Commissioner, Seelall Persaud come here with his big public relations stunt but based on this we realize that he doesn’t mean well. It is as if this zone here is just full of criminals and they out to send us to jail.
“How can they treat us like this and expect us to trust them or even feel safe? We thought this regular foot patrol would have been good for the community but the police behavior will only encourage us to turn against them.”
An angry Father of eight also said, “Just imagine, they are frightening the children. They are searching children before they go to school and when they in the street they stripping them and searching them. Even big people they stripping and searching. This is harassment. Parents are angry. We begging them don’t let this turn out into a war.”
Kaieteur News also observed police ranks carrying out searches on the occupants of two houses on Curtis Street yesterday. An argument ensued when neighbours came out and objected to the hostile manner in which the searches were being conducted.
They are calling on the Commissioner to reduce the number of ranks deployed in the area since it is creating the image of an occupied territory.
Yesterday morning around 10am there were 12 ranks patrolling the area and an additional 14 joined two hours after. Police were armed with batons and firearms. Calls to the new ‘A’ Division Commander, Clifton Hicken were futile.
The community project which was launched last week, is called, “Impact Albouystown.” Leading the project is Mr. Persaud along with the Heavenly Light World Outreach Fellowship and the Albouystown Masjid.
During a friendly meet and greet with residents of the area during the launching, Persaud had explained that there will be regular foot patrols by ranking officers as well as stop and search operations.
This is being conducted to rid the community of unlawful firearms and illicit drugs. Domestic Violence and “youth gangs” are also areas that will be given much focus.