The training of the police anti-crime unit (ACU) in rapid response tactics is one of the measures high on the agenda of the British-funded 3 million pounds security reform plan to be implemented next year.
A statement from the British High Commission yesterday also said that implementation of the Guyana Security Sector Reform Action Plan would include the provision of equipment to improve the police response to calls from the community and that this was a priority as well.
Poor handling of calls from the public and the slow response to major crimes are seen as two key weaknesses of the Guyana Police Force.
Britain and Guyana signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the Action Plan in August this year. Since then there has been a series of meetings involving British experts, representatives of the Guyana Government and local law enforcement agencies to discuss the implementation of the plan.
In the statement yesterday, Britain said immediate actions that have now been agreed would be implemented early next year. These include the training of the ACU in rapid response tactics and techniques; a series of measures including the provision of equipment to improve the response of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to calls from the community; support for the GPF in managing crime-related information, through the assistance of a UK crime intelligence specialist; and the assistance of a UK police organisational specialist to help update and implement the GPF’s strategic plan.
A UK specialist will also be here next year to help bolster efforts to improve road traffic safety and advise on appropriate legislation. Building capacity in the GPF’s Office of Professional Responsibility, through the assistance of a UK police adviser; improving relations between the GPF and the community and the media, with the assistance of a UK police communications specialist are also on the cards for next year. The release said work is also progressing on the wider implementation of the action plan, and this will be the subject of continuing discussions between the two governments over the next two months. The work is being closely coordinated with the government’s Justice Reform and Citizen Security plans.
The release quoted British High Commissioner to Guyana Fraser Wheeler as saying: “I am pleased that we are now starting the actions that will make a difference to people on the ground. I have always underlined, and I know the Government of Guyana shares this view, that we wanted an action plan, with an emphasis on action, and not just another strategy.”
He added that the actions contained in the plan fulfilled and went beyond their commitments in the MOU. Wheeler noted, according to the statement, that Britain will continue to work closely with Guyana on the wider implementation of the agreed action plan.
Back in November the National Assembly passed a motion for the appointment of a special select committee to oversee the implementation of the plan, which promises sweeping reforms including the setting up of a special firearms support team.
The plan seeks to build the operational capacity of the police force in terms of a uniformed response to serious crime, as well as augment forensics, crime intelligence and traffic policing capabilities. The plan will also strengthen policy-making across the security sector to make it more transparent, effective and better coordinated. Bringing financial management in the security sector under the umbrella of public sector financial management reform; creating substantial parliamentary and other oversight of the security sector and building greater public participation and inclusiveness on security sector issues are the other components of the plan. The committee is expected to receive and examine official annual reports from the administration on the status of the implementation of the activities in the 11 priority areas on an annual basis and also to provide a final report to the National Assembly of their examination of the reports on the implementation of the entire action plan.
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee had announced in Parliament that after extensive discussions and consultations with stakeholders including the leadership of the law enforcement agencies, the public and the donor community, 11 priority areas for intervention were identified. In addition, Rohee said specific objectives have been developed in each of these areas for which discrete activities have been structured to allow those objectives in each of the priority areas to be realized in the period 2007-2011.
Under priority one, which deals with the establishment of a special firearms support team, the plan seeks to support the creation of a specialized capability to execute high-risk operations with regard to terrorism, hijacking, hostage release and negotiations and specialized tactical deployment. With regard to the anti-crime unit, the plan seeks to develop an operational protocol, provide training on technical aspects of anti-crime operations and the acquisition of operational equipment and resources among other things.
On the crime intelligence front, the action plan will support the capability of the police force with regard to the gathering, analysis, interpretation, dissemination and management of strategic and operational crime-related information. Under developing forensic capacity, the plan seeks to provide support to the effective delivery of forensic laboratory services. At present, the police force’s laboratory is lacking some basic forensic equipment, although government earlier this year expended $32 million on some modern tools. In the area of strengthening leadership and training in the security forces, the plan will develop a training programme for senior management of the police force and also implement and sustain leadership training.
With traffic accidents and road fatalities skyrocketing, the UK-funded plan seeks to provide support that will have an immediate impact on road and traffic safety.
