Modernization and reform

Aug 21, 2014 Editorial

The statement attributed to Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee that “…for reforms to take place the force has to take ownership of the process…” during a parliamentary debate on the motion seeking an inquiry into police torture, effectively places the onus on the Guyana Police Force to show what it has done over the past twelve months since the advent of the technical experts employed to strategise the implementation of the strategic plan.
It would require some serious persuasion for anyone to accept that the newly-minted strategic department has done nothing to move the implementation process forward.
A perusal of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ website would highlight two vital points which need to be cleared up to avoid further confusion. (i) The police are the implementers of a plan to address local law enforcement operational and administrative issues, and which was prepared by a foreign firm, Capita-Symonds; (ii) The civilian employees do not have the authority to order the hierarchy of the force to do their duty.
As an aside, it should be noted that implementation of a strategic plan may bring about efficiency in certain operational and administrative functions, and may even reflect aspects of modernization in terms of equipment, facilities etc., but it should not be assumed that there will be an automatic reform of police methods, attitude, and culture in the individual and organisational sense.
One example of organisational efficiency which could be affected by organisational commitment, is the implementation of changes to procedures and policies. Therefore, as the minister opined, the reform can only come about if the force is sufficiently committed to positive change on several fronts.
In other words if no serious commitment is displayed by those in leadership positions in the force, it is impossible that efforts at reform will yield the expected positive results in the subordinate ranks. Notwithstanding the paucity of research in this area, there is sufficient empirical evidence supported by theory that there is an inverse relationship between high resistance to organisational change and low levels of organisational commitment.
How else can anyone explain the continued transgressions committed by the ranks in the streets other than that, the culprits are emboldened by the belief that the only action from their superiors will be the turning of a blind eye and stonewalling as usual. If it is at all possible, it would be interesting to know the level of commitment the political administration has for really reforming the police.
We have become quite cynical hearing the same tired statements about how much money is allocated each year to the force. We hear of the many courses that ranks are being sent overseas on a regular basis. What we are not being told is how the acquired knowledge and skills from the various programmes are transferred throughout the organization aimed at police reform and modernization for the ultimate benefit of the populace.
One does not get the impression that any formal methodology is employed when it comes to selecting candidates for overseas courses. We need to know that ranks are selected based upon some transparent criteria which reflect careful thought to aptitude, commitment, service, performance, discipline and desire for change among others.
It makes absolutely no sense to identify for training ranks who would be leaving the force within a relatively short space of time from retirement. Randall et al. (1990) have argued that the sharing of knowledge and information is positively related to organisational commitment.
What this tells us in the context of the police is that human resistance can be observed in a refusal to share information in a climate of over-reliance on, and strong commitment to the old ways of doing things. This results in decreasing levels of commitment to the organization which will not contribute positively to the proposed programme of reform and modernization changes.
Let us not delude ourselves into thinking that modernization and reform are the same animal. For one, a reformed police force exemplifies a disavowal of unethical practices, punishing unprofessional behaviour and attitudes, while embracing democratic norms; modernization simply speaks to the acquisition of modern facilities and equipment. These things cannot be achieved without a dedicated or enhanced internal communications system to promulgate change in information to the entire force.

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Modernization and reform

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