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Carjacker was dismissed as a recruit – Crime Chief
Crime Chief Paul Williams
Crime Chief Paul Williams has clarified that the ‘ex-policeman’ recently identified as the mastermind behind several carjackings was dismissed as a recruit.
“We made it clear there is a man who is a former police officer, involved, but he was a recruit who was removed since college,” Williams said, according to a government release.
“When we would have conducted the search… because to enter the [police] force there are three background checks which are required and all three searches showed him to be in the clear. However, when he entered the college we made some observations in terms of his conduct and his behaviour and [recognised] certain things that were very unethical. Right at that stage, I had recommended his dismissal and his services were terminated. I was a force training officer then,” Williams explained.
In addition, the Crime Chief said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is an equal opportunity employer and therefore cannot discriminate in its employment practices if there is no information which supports the disqualification of an applicant. Williams assured that the police force’s vetting process is very thorough.
“If the three background checks came back to say that you are clear; you were successful in the examination; you were successful in the medical examination and so on we can’t just look at you and say you look like a thief. We can’t discriminate. We have to give you a fair chance,” he added.
Further, the Crime Chief lamented the disrepute often brought to the Police Force by many whose services to the security sector is short-lived.
“A man could just enter the service today, be sworn and be given a number; then maybe just a week or two thereafter we find out that he’s involved in criminal activities and he becomes an ex [officer] and that ex now tends to want to tarnish the reputation of this organisation.”
Williams said this conduct is very discouraging, especially for himself and other members of the force who are performing creditably as they work towards reducing crime and giving the nation good service.
After months of investigations, the Guyana Police Force recently smashed the operations of a number of carjacking rings across the country. The man suspected to be the ringleader has been identified as an ex-policeman.
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