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Police Force to embark on 24-hour patrols during Christmas season
…to increase drones, foot, vehicular and bicycle patrols
Kaieteur News – The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Tuesday announced that they have embarked on a 24/7 patrol of the city with the aim of curbing criminal activities and reducing traffic congestion during the Christmas season.
Commander of Regional Police Division # 4 ‘A’
The Force disclosed that the policing plan which began on Tuesday will conclude on January 15, 2023 and will see a significant increase in drone, foot, vehicular, marine, canine and mounted patrols in Georgetown.
Assistant Commissioner of Police and Commander of Regional Police Division # 4 ‘A’, Simon McBean in his anti-crime presentation disclosed that the Force’s operation will be centered in 15 sectors throughout Georgetown.
“Each sector will be commanded by an officer – an inspector – along with adequate ranks. Heightened intelligence led special operations, and heightened focus on noise nuisance, also special emphasis will be placed on commercial and residential areas,” Commander McBean said at the launch of the Police’s policing plan.
Two hundred and fifty-one ranks will be part of that operation while 54 vehicles (14 bicycles, 14 motorcycles and 26 motor vehicles) will allocated for this purpose. The Force will be targeting commercial, tourists and residential areas as well as the country’s ports of entry including the Cheddi Jagan and Eugene F. Correia International Airports.
“We intend to reduce crime, fear of crime, traffic accidents and congestion during this period,” he said while cautioning and urging consumers to be careful during the busy Christmas season.
“Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times, carry only what you need, conceal valuables, avoid wearing expensive jewellery that may draw attention, and consider alternative payment options such as credit/debit cards,’’ McBean stated.
Similarly, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum, said that like strategies are being implemented across the country. Blanhum said there will be an increase in the deployment of uniformed and plain clothes ranks throughout the Christmas season.
The marked sections depict where traffic patrols will be centered.
Meanwhile, Traffic Chief Superintendent Dennis Stephen disclosed, during the unveiling of the Force’s Christmas policing plan, that the traffic ranks will also be working 24 hours but will be assigned day and night shifts in an attempt to minimize traffic accidents and congestions.
Stephen disclosed that in order to achieve his Department’s goals, there will be 24-hour vehicular patrols while foot patrols will be on a 12-hour basis with a four-hour shift system. Collaboration with the Force’s Corporate Communication Unit (CCU) will also be done in a bid to educate road users through the electronic and printed media.
The Traffic Chief revealed that between January 1, 2022 and November 14, 2022, there has been 4 percent increase in road accidents and a 5 percent increase in road fatalities.
He said that 83 fatal accidents have been recorded so far this year in comparison to 80 last year for the same period. The number of deaths recorded this year stands at 90 in comparison to 86 recorded in 2021.
The number of fatal accidents involving males in 2021 was 71 and in 2022, the number stepped up to 74, and the number of females in 2021 was 15 and while this year, the number increased to 16.
Meanwhile, the number of children involved in fatal accidents this year increased to 6 as compared to 3 reported for 2021.
Stephen said that there were 42,194 traffic cases recorded this year. He noted that 256 warrants were executed which resulted in fines amounting to $2,976,445.
The Traffic Chief via a map-graph detailed how the Force intends to regulate its units. He said Georgetown has been divided into five sectors where attention would be placed for continuous police patrol and some streets will be blocked to pedestrians only.
“We are looking at Robb Street, no entry for vehicular traffic, going east between Alexander and Bourda Streets. That’s for pedestrian only; no vehicle is allowed to proceed there. We are also looking at Bourda Street, no entry for vehicular traffic, between Regent and North Road,” he explained.
The Traffic Chief said that traffic ranks will be dispersed throughout the country at key locations within commercial districts in Georgetown, Vreed-en-Hoop, Parika, New Amsterdam, Rose Hall, Bartica and Anna Regina.
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