Service, Not Force: A Better Path for Policing in Guyana

Dec 08, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

The recent announcement that the Guyana Police Force will move from handwritten paper reports to computer‑based systems is a welcome step into the twenty‑first century. Done properly, digital reporting can reduce missing files, shorten waiting times, and create an auditable trail from complaint to outcome, which is essential for fairness and accountability. But technology alone will not change how citizens feel when they walk into a station, call for help, or encounter a patrol.

Across the world, major gains in police legitimacy have come not only from gadgets, but from a change in attitude, training, and the core idea of what policing is. Studies of police–community encounters show that when officers communicate clearly, listen, explain decisions, and treat people with dignity—even when enforcing the law—trust increases and hostility decreases, including among those who are frequently policed. This is the essence of “procedural justice”: people care as much about how they are treated as about the outcome.

Other jurisdictions offer useful lessons. In Camden, New Jersey, authorities scrapped a failing police model and rebuilt around community policing, foot patrols, and non‑confrontational engagement with residents. Officers were trained and evaluated on their ability to build relationships, de‑escalate conflict, and be visible in neighbourhoods outside of raids and roadblocks. Over time, complaints dropped and clearance of serious crimes improved, while the image of the police shifted from “occupying force” to “guardians” of the community.

Many agencies have also recognised that language and symbolism matter. Moving from “Police Force” to “Police Service” in several democracies formed part of a wider shift away from a militarised, “warrior” mindset toward a service‑oriented, “public guardian” identity. On its own, a change of name is cosmetic; but when combined with recruitment messages, training, promotion criteria, and public communication that emphasise protection, fairness, and respect, it helps embed a new professional culture. Mentality changes often start with how institutions describe themselves—and those self‑descriptions steadily shape behaviour.

Guyana now has an opportunity to match its digital upgrade with an upgrade in ethos. Concretely, this means: mandatory, ongoing sensitivity and communication training for all ranks; performance indicators that reward timely updates to complainants and respectful treatment, not only arrest numbers; and clear, public standards for how officers engage during traffic stops, station interactions, and public‑order duties. Embedding these standards in promotion systems and supervision ensures that what is taught in workshops is lived out on the road.

Imagine the possibilities if, together with computers on desks, the institution deliberately replaces “brute force” with “service” as its organising principle. A Guyana Police Service, grounded in technology, transparency, and respect, would not only solve more crimes; it would win the confidence of the very communities whose cooperation is essential for safety and justice.

Sincerely,
Hemdutt Kumar

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Service, Not Force: A Better Path for Policing in Guyana

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