Top Cop reverses Ramnarine’s controversial police transfers

Oct 14, 2018 News

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Weeks after a major shakeup in the police’s hierarchy, there is news that a number of well-publicised decisions to controversially transfer a few cops are being reversed.

Inspector Godfrey Playter, who refused to take a call from then Commissioner of Police (ag) during a routine traffic control stop of a city minibus, is reportedly back on his duties in Berbice.

The inspector received a letter from the Force’s administration informing him that he has been posted to the ‘B’ Division (East Berbice), effective October 1^st.

Playter would only confirm yesterday that he is back in Berbice on duties.

Inspector Playter had claimed that he was suddenly transferred in April after he refused a take a call on a civilian’s phone while he was on duty at the eastern end of the Berbice Bridge.

Playter’s ranks had stopped a minibus, which reportedly had no permission to venture to Berbice from the city.

The call on the passenger’s phone apparently came from the Commissioner of Police (ag), David Ramnarine.

Playter claimed that he was not told who the person was.

In any case, the call on the civilian’s phone by the Top Cop would have been highly irregular, critics say.

The police in a statement had said that Playter allegedly made disrespectful remarks to the persons in the minibus, two of whom happened to be police ranks.

The minibus, the police said, was sent by the Top Cop to Berbice. It was never disclosed why.

Ranks had been warned over time, of allowing interference in their duties.

Playter has been a Station Sergeant for a number of years and a Court Prosecutor for almost 16 years.

He was posted to the East Coast of Demerara. Playter was forced to travel from the Corentyne, Berbice where he lived, to East Coast Demerara.

Playter had reportedly appealed to the new police administration to look into his matter.

Another decision overturned was the transfer of the female rank from Whim Police Station, East Berbice.

The woman was reportedly posted to the city earlier this year after her then superiors were not pleased about how she had answered the phone. Although she reportedly admitted that she erred, it was not enough to sway the police’s administration at the time. She was transferred to the city.

She is back in Berbice now.

Decisions were also taken with two policemen, including the ‘A’ Division’s Best Cop of last year.

According to reports, the two police traffic ranks were transferred in June, after causing charges to be instituted against a priest.
Deputy Superintendent Dennis Stephen and Sergeant Gavin Boyce were transferred from their positions at the Brickdam Police Station after being summoned to the office of Ramnarine in relation to an order to stand down by the commissioner.
Sergeant Boyce while on traffic duties on Sunday June 26, reportedly stopped three vehicles in the vicinity of the Number 43 bus park on Hadfield Street.
Reports said that the vehicles where all heavily tinted. The vehicles were then escorted to the Brickdam Police station, where the documents for the vehicles were checked.
It was found that one of the vehicles (PWW 9016), which was driven by a priest, was uninsured among other things. This caused Sergeant Boyce to instruct traffic ranks to have charges made out against the priest.
The priest was in court on Tuesday, June 26, where he was charged for four traffic offences, two of which he pleaded guilty to, and was fined.
Reports said that on the day that the priest was charged, Deputy Superintendent Stephen and Sergeant Boyce were summoned to the commissioner’s office. Also, there were number of other high ranking police officers.
The two ranks later received instructions that they were being transferred soon after.

Boyce was transferred to the Tactical Services Unit at Eve Leary.

Boyce is reportedly back at Brickdam while Stephen is said to be the second in command of Traffic.
In late August, President David Granger swore in Leslie James as the new Commissioner with a number of Deputy Commissioners also named.

The idea is to make the force more efficient by bringing specialized services.

In the ‘Administration’ department – Deputy Commissioner, Paul Williams has taken the helm.

In the area of Law Enforcement, Deputy Commissioner Lyndon Alves has been placed there.

Deputy Commissioner Maxine Graham has taken up the critical area of Operations.

Heading up the Special Branch/Intelligence was Deputy Commissioner Nigel Hoppie, DSM.

Assistant Commissioner, Clifton Hicken, a former ‘A’ Division commander, was sent to Berbice.

The police have been coming under pressure for crime fighting, corruption and painful reports of rogue cops.

However, there were no promotions for Ramnarine, a tough-talking Top Cop.

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