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Police to beef-up training, expand transport fleet with $30B allocation
Kaieteur News – Government has allocated $30.3 billion in this year’s budget for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) with some $5.4 billion to advance infrastructure works, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh announced on Monday when he presented the national estimates.
“Mr. Speaker, in recognising that a vibrant security sector is as a result of well-planned and strategic initiatives, this Government has committed to invest heavily in: the provision of expanded facilities, expanded mobility and updated equipment, better use of technology, training, and the promotion of greater accountability for law enforcement personnel,” Dr Singh told the National Assembly.
He noted that in pursuit of these objectives and to continue support to advance the security policies and initiatives so as to adapt to an ever-changing environment, a sum of $72.6 billion was expended by the sector in the security sector in 2023.
Police have received allocation in the budget to improve its transport fleet
Of that sum Singh said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) benefited from a total sum of $28.6 billion which was expended towards addressing the infrastructural deficiencies and enhancing the Force’s capacity as well as the delivery of continuous training opportunities. This year he said works would advance on the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of police stations and other infrastructure which include the reconstruction of police stations at Kitty, Mahaicony, Sans Souci and Weldaad as well as the construction of Regional Division Headquarters in Regions 6 and 7. “Notably, the Force’s infrastructure will be transformed as we commence the construction of the state-of-the art twelve storey Brickdam Police Station,” Dr Singh told the House.
Transport Fleet
The minister disclosed that to further complement the existing fleet and to aid in the force’s crime fighting capabilities in 2023, a sum of $900 million was expended to advance procurement of additional motorcycles, pick-ups, boats, motorcars, and trucks. This year a further $1 billion is provided to expand the Force’s land and water fleet with the purchase of additional vehicles, boats, and engines.
Meanwhile, in the area of community policing, Dr Singh said as government continues to invest heavily on strengthening partnerships with communities and the GPF, a sum of $134.7 million was expended in 2023 towards the formation of 49 new community policing groups, while an additional sum of $152.1 million is budgeted in 2024 towards the further expansion and visibility of these groups countrywide.
“Mr. Speaker, in an effort to decentralize our crime fighting capabilities while incorporating the use of modern technology: In 2023, $2.5 billion was expended to further develop the Force’s ability to perform advanced investigation and surveillance activities through its use of integrating ICT by means of the Safe Country Initiative. To date, priority areas were completed in Regions 3, 4 and 6 while works are ongoing for expansion of the initiative to Region 4 and Region 5. In 2024, a further $2 billion has been earmarked to further advance and expand the use of this integrated system designed to enhance surveillance and deter potential criminal activities,” Dr. Singh said.
Training
With regard training, Dr. Singh said some $250M has been budgeted for this in 2024, noting plans are in train to further improve the investigative and forensic capabilities of ranks by conducting training both locally and regionally. Further, Dr Singh said the force will embark on major developmental training reform programmes which will enable ranks to receive training in various disciplines offered by renowned policing institutions such as the New York Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
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