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Long live the Guyana Police Service
DEAR EDITOR,
On Page 12 of the Stabroek News of Thursday, 21st March, 2019 the story under the caption ‘ It’s now the Guyana Police Service’ represents good and long overdue news. The word force sounds a bit too aggressive and maybe brutal also; the word service sounds more caring, willing and concerning. Again I would say that it is a step in the right direction, but the members of the Guyana Police Service from Constable to Officers would have to ensure that the desired goals are met by changing their mindset or attitude, on how they deal with members of the General Public, by not applying one set of rules for the poor and less privileged and another set of rules for the rich and those who believe that they are powerful.
Time and time again we see that the Police conducting random stop and search exercises don’t stop the drivers of the Prados, Toyota Land Cruisers and other high-end tinted vehicles, much less search them.
The attention is focused primarily on the hire cars and the Mini Buses, and the older your vehicle appears to be the more often you are likely to be stopped.
I am also wondering if changing the word Force to Service, the Police are going to go to the virtual complainant (VC)’s home and take a statement from him or her or to have a witness for the Prosecution submit a statement by visiting the person’s home, and not asking them to come to the Police Station which at times can be miles away.
What is currently happening in many instances, the Police ask the virtual complainant or the star witness to come to the station at a given hour. He/she is a worker that gets home after four in the afternoon, and by the time they get to the Station, the investigating rank would have already left for home. The person is then told that the rank in question is not at the Station, so, ‘you can come back tomorrow’. How frustrating this can be to the people who can help the Police to build a case, and to have or secure a conviction.
The Minister of Public Security is on record as saying that there is an acute shortage of ranks in the Guyana Police Force. I hope that with the word Service that would change, and with that, the following:-
1. The Mini Bus driver on being stopped by a Traffic Rank would not stop about four rods away from where he was stopped, exit the bus, and produce his licence that already has one thousand… or more, in it (the Licence book).
2. The Police would not selectively stop motorists for tint and other reasons.
3. That every person that is issued with a driver’s licence has gone through the process, and did not offer a bribe.
4. That when a report is made to the Police on Patrol, something you would seldom see or at the Station, the appropriate action would be taken in a timely manner.
5. When members of the public give the Police information of a sensitive nature or otherwise, their identity would not be disclosed.
6. No Political interference in Police Investigation from the Regional or National Level.
7. On making a report to most of the Police Stations, the Constables there would not tell you to come back when the Sergeant comes.
With all of the above being said, there are many, many Police ranks out there who
at all times try to perform their duties in a professional manner, so as not to sully the image of the Guyana Police Force now the Guyana Police Service.
Long live the Guyana Police Service, as a people we cannot live without them.
I always remember the saying, ‘After God is the Police’
Archie W. Cordis
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