Transferred inspector… Force says policeman was rude to occupants of stopped minibus

Jul 24, 2018 News

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The Guyana Police Force has come out in defence of a decision to transfer an inspector, insisting that a minibus stopped at a checkpoint at the eastern end of the Berbice Bridge in March, had been sent by the Commissioner of Police (ag), David Ramnarine.

During the stop, the inspector allegedly made some disrespectful remarks to the persons in the bus.

The Police Force also said that Inspector Godfrey Playter, who is a prosecutor, was not targeted but rotated in keeping with Force’s procedures for efficiency.

The matter was reported by Kaieteur News on Sunday.

Playter, in April, wrote Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, claiming that he was transferred after he refused to take a call from the mobile phone of a civilian who was in the bus.

Apparently, it was the Top Cop calling.

However, the Police Force was upset with the article, which indicated that Inspector Playter was transferred to Cove and John, East Coast Demerara, which is in Region Four. A release argued that the matter was an administrative one.

In fact, the Force, on the offensive, believed that story only made the news because Playter’s daughter is the Berbice reporter for Kaieteur News.

“It is also no surprise for the publication, as his daughter is employed by the very newspaper.

It is unfortunate though that these administrative matters find themselves in the public domain, exacerbated by some sections of the press who believe that it is something worthy of public consumption.

However, Editor-in-Chief of Kaieteur News, Adam Harris, said that the Police Force clearly does not have a clue of what is protocol for newspapers.

“We have policies where reporters cannot work on stories that are personal. In the case of Inspector Playter, the fact that his daughter works for us has no bearing on the issue at hand.”

Playter, in his letter to Minister Ramjattan, disclosed that he and other officers were manning the ‘B’ Division checkpoint located at the eastern end of the Berbice River Bridge on Thursday 22nd March, 2018 about 11:30 hrs.
Playter claimed that the team was mandated by Lyndon Alves, Commander of ‘B’ Division, to stop, search and if possible detain persons and vehicles traversing the checkpoint.

On that day, they were carrying out their duties. One of the vehicles stopped was a minibus zoned with Number 45 driven by a male with three other persons.

“Whilst I was perusing the documents, it was found that the bus pass permitting the said bus to traverse the Number 63 route was deficient and there was no road service licence produced. This was brought to the attention of the driver who was warned to have it corrected in the future and I sent him away.”
The inspector in his letter said that before the bus could have left, the other occupant came up to him, holding a cellular phone and while attempting to hand it, was saying, “Talk to yuh boss man”.

“Boss Man calling”

“I refused to do so while questioning who was the “boss man” but no name was given. They subsequently left. A short while later, I received a call on my cellular phone and after confirming that it was Mr. Lyndon Alves, Commander of ‘B’ Division who queried the encounter with the occupants of the said bus and I answered in the affirmative.

“He then instructed me to send the bus away and upbraided me for not taking the cell call stating that it was Mr. David Ramnarine.”

Playter said that he then informed the Commander that the driver was warned and sent away prior to his call. The police team said that they continued their duties.

On Wednesday, 11th April 2018, Playter was summoned to see Assistant Commissioner Maxine Graham at her office at 08:00 hrs.

“On arrival, we were told that an inquiry will be conducted pertaining to what took place on Thursday, 22nd March 2018.”

Playter said that the inquiry was conducted by Assistant Commissioner Mr. Clifton Hicken and all the parties concerned.
“Upon conclusion, I was again upbraided by both Mr. Hicken and Mrs. Graham for not talking to Mr. Ramnarine on the civilian’s cellular phone and my action was deemed to be disrespectful to him.”
The policeman said that his refusal to take the said call was premised on the fact that his Commander had given clear instructions, which were adhered to in the execution of duties.

“In addition, yet precisely stated, that should anyone complain that they can be directed to call him and he will give further instructions. Furthermore, I would like to state that in my thirty-four (34) years of service in the Guyana Police Force, I was never disrespectful to any of my superiors, which would have warranted a reprimand for such conduct however because of the prevailing atmosphere that existed at the time of having an audience with Mr. Ramnarine.

“I extended an apology in the presence of the other two senior officers mentioned above even though I did so with a heavy heart.”

Playter said he was under the impression that the matter was finished there.
However, on Friday 13th, April 2018 about 16:20 hrs while performing similar duties at the checkpoint, he was the recipient of a letter signed by the top cop.

“…And upon reading the contents, it was informing me that I was posted to ‘C’ Division (East sector Demerara) effective 16th April 2018. This caught me by surprise, for it was done with haste and in full breach of the public service rules applicable to me as an Inspector of Police and one that is family oriented, as my family would be adversely affected also.”
The inspector, in his letter to Minister Ramjattan, said that he believed Ramnarine “abrogated” upon himself to sanction him.

“…In my humble view, it was a breach of natural justice and further, the sudden posting would have given one the impression that it was as a result of gross misconduct by me which resulted in him taking such an action.”
Playter pointed out that there are other worse situations involving other ranks, which are met with little or no sanction.

Police’s Response

However, the Force yesterday did not say anything or acknowledge that phone call that came to the civilian phone from Ramnarine.

Rather, it said that on the day in question, there were two members of the Force, one being a Subordinate Officer in the vehicle, and two civilians and having stopped at the police roadblock, the driver explained who they were.

“In this process, the documents for the vehicle were requested and the Inspector and a Sergeant, had an issue with one of the documents, which resulted in grossly uncomplimentary remarks being made by the Inspector and the Sergeant, much to the shock and dismay of the police ranks and civilians, after the driver explained that the Commissioner of Police (ag) sent them to Berbice on duty, and the driver made the call to the Commissioner of Police (ag).”

On March 23, 2018 about 10:00hrs, Inspector Playter among two other ranks from ‘B’ Division summoned to a meeting, where one of the ranks who was in the minibus, related in the presence of Assistant Commissioner ‘Operations’ Mr. Clifton Hicken and Second-in-Command ‘Administration’, W/Assistant Commissioner Maxine Graham, DSM, what took place the previous day.

“These documents were subsequently produced to the Assistant Commissioner ‘Operations’, in the presence of the Traffic Chief, and all were found to be in order; the Inspector clearly did not understand the matter of the vehicle pass on the day in question.”

According to the Police Force, Inspector Playter and his ranks listened, “acknowledged and admitted” that he in particular showed “total disregard” for the Commissioner of Police’s Office by his utterances and “subsequently apologized”.

As it relates to the transfer, the Force said that rotation is a management tool used to assist in the maintenance of efficiency within the Guyana Police Force.

“This inspector’s behaviour comes as no surprise, as prior to this incident, he was posted to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, to relieve a colleague Prosecutor who was proceeding on Annual Vacation Leave but instead he reported sick and obtained one month sick leave.”

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