This detective should have our admiration

Nov 13, 2015 Letters

Dear Editor,
The actions by the lone detective constable assisted by a colleague in tracking down and apprehending two bandits deserve high commendation. I do not say this because he did the job he is being paid for and that is to arrest perpetrators of criminal offences, but because he went beyond the proverbial mile when he demonstrated dedication to his profession by using his personal vehicle in pursuit of armed criminals in the absence of an assigned police vehicle. That in itself is all the more admirable because – knowing the behavior of insurance companies in this country, there was no guarantee that the rank would have been compensated if he had become involved in an accident. This is just one event in the lives of serving members of the GPF that go virtually unheralded and which we need to recognize.
I have been reading almost daily the contributions to the public hearings of the Commission of Inquiry into the public service and I would with your indulgence, like to suggest a few recommendations aimed at improving the performance and related areas of one public service entity namely the Guyana Police Force. These can with a bit of tweaking also apply to the wider public service. I suggest that:
1. There should be a developed framework where ranks who have attended local and overseas training would be required to identify benchmarks, timelines, milestones, expected outcomes and success indicators for the transfer of knowledge and skills to the wider organization. Obviously this strategy can obviate the continuous use of contract employees.
2. Officers above a certain rank should be required to produce position papers annually on a topic which has direct or peripheral bearing on police management and policing issues. This can aid professional competence and development and also be a part of the annual performance appraisal scheme. The need for contract workers will be gradually removed;
3. The administration and operations of the GPF should be guided by the introduction and application of a competency framework which could be considered for promotion to the next level. This will ensure that all who aspire to higher office are competent to perform at the next level in terms of appropriate proficiency levels and associated behaviour;
4. Evidence of strategic management and succession planning should be an annual requirement to support the concept of organizational evolution and sustainability. This will ensure the development of a dynamic institution open to fresh ideas and approaches;
5. Mentoring and coaching should be formally introduced to assist in the passing of knowledge, positive values and professional attitudes in public service;
6. Automatic rollover of contracts should be discontinued and renewals – where necessary, should be based upon favorable performance appraisals that are objective, fair and unbiased;
7. The renewal or non-renewal of a contract should not be left to the will of capricious officials, but should be determined after fair and objective assessment of performance.
The issue of salary increase should not be accepted as the principal reason for unprofessional conduct or continued misconduct. For these to be really addressed there must be a major organizational culture change since it has been argued that if the minimum monthly salary was raised to G$100,000 there would always be those who would be looking for more to fill their expanding financial needs.
Patrick E. Mentore

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