Zero tolerance to bribes… Leave the job if you don’t like the salary – Top Cop

Apr 09, 2019 News

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In a simple but significant opening ceremony yesterday morning in the auditorium of the Police Officers’ Training Centre, Camp Road and Young Street, Eve-Leary, 66 Subordinate Officers of the force began a six-week training for Station Management and Newly Promoted Ranks.

Delivering the feature address and declaring the courses open, Commissioner of Police, Leslie James DSS, DSM, urged the ranks to maintain professionalism and to be proactive.

He implored them to see themselves as being very much important to the Force.

“From this day forward, we would like to see a change in your approach to your duties, we will like to see commitment as you execute your daily routine.

“We would like to see professionalism when you are engaging with your peers, when you are engaging with your colleagues, as more importantly when you are engaging with members of the public and our communities,” the Commissioner underscored.

James reminded the ranks on the Station Management Course, which is mainly for Sergeants, that many corporals are on the course, because they have been identified by the Force’s Administration to deal with station management.

“We would like to see when you are in the enquiries offices across the country you take charge of those offices and to ensure that there is no recklessness.

“Ensure that you and your subordinates understand very clearly that we have Standard Operating Procedures and our Standing Orders to follow and maintain,” the Commissioner said.

They were reminded by the Top Cop that when a person with injuries goes to any police station or outpost, it is the duty of the police to take that injured person to seek medical attention.

A stern warning was given to the ranks to desist from entertaining relatives or persons who go and ask for their family members to be placed in custody.

“Do not engage in the kind of performances where persons are coming to police stations and asking for you to take their relatives into custody because they are behaving ‘bad’ or having imbibed.

“That is not your role, you are to have clear instructions and clear understanding of your functions, roles and responsibilities; behaving bad is not an offence. When that person is taken into custody it has implications for us,” Mr. James stressed.

Motorists were also warned not to offer any bribe to the police and then go around saying that the police taking bribe.

“Once there is no offer, there won’t be any acceptance. It goes both ways. We will be coming after you – those of you offering. You cannot be offering to police and then say the police taking bribe.

“It is simple;, do not commit offences. If you do not have a tint permit, it simply means you cannot carry tint on your vehicle. When you driving on the public road, there are markings and signs and having being trained as a driver you must understand what you should and should not do.

“If a police man stops you for committing an offence and you decide to offer him a bribe and he accepts, both of you are guilty of corruption, it is not a one way exercise.”

The Commissioner also told the ranks, “If you are not comfortable with your salaries, leave the job, because you came on having being told what the job has to offer as it relates to salaries.”

As of March 2019, the Guyana Police Force has seen a much reformed and developed force as a new three-year strategic plan 2019-2021 has been rolled out.
The Strategic Plan will be focused on strategic priorities including Operational Priorities, Human Resources, Partnership, Performance and Infrastructure.

There are eight national objectives- Crime, Confidence, Effectiveness and Efficiency, Professionalism and Legitimacy, Continuous Engagements, Human Resource Management, Building Improvements and Engagement with Stakeholders and Communities.

Additionally, there will be Monitoring and Evaluation which will be done by the Head of the Strategic Planning Unit of the GPF.

There would also be the formation of a Change Team  consisting of the Minister of Public Security, Commissioner of Police, members of the Force’s Executive Leadership Team and Selected Officers; this team main task is to ensure that the performance and the duties of the Force are being properly carried out.

In attendance yesterday were Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’, Paul Williams DSM; Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’, Maxine Graham DSM; Deputy Commissioner ‘Law Enforcement’, Lyndon Alves DSM; Assistant Commissioner ‘Training’ Mr. Clifton Hicken; Commander ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner Marlon Chapman; Head Strategic Planning Unit, Assistant Commissioner Royston Andries-Junor and others.

Last year, James and a number of deputies to assist him were sworn in as part of the bigger move to reform the police force, which over the years have been steeped in corruption and inefficiency.

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