The British High Commis-sion is expected to deliver further training and equipment to the Guyana Police Force under the Security Sector Reform (SSR) programme and intelligence gathering and rapid reaction capacities have already been boosted.
The British High Com-mission said in a release yesterday that following a visit here by UK police intelligence officers in March, a range of recommendations are under discussion with the Force and training is expected to take place over the next few months.
The release noted that in accordance with the Crime Intelligence Section of the SSR Action Plan, binoculars and cameras are now available for the use of the Criminal Intelligence Unit, and a data processing and management computer system has been installed at Force Control Unit to facilitate access to the Guyana Revenue Authority’s vehicles data-base.
According to the rapid response sections of the plan, GPS navigation and night vision equipment is now available for the use of the Tactical Services Unit; while body armour for the protection of ranks against high-calibre weapons has been procured and will arrive shortly.
Meanwhile, a Memoran-dum of Understanding to help guide the strengthening of police-media relations has now been drafted following a Police-Media workshop held earlier this year, and it is under consideration by the parties.
In addition four public service announcements aimed at strengthening the relationship between the police and the public are being developed, and should be broadcast on television before month-end.
Meantime, the Guyana Police Force and the High Commission are discussing a range of recommendations from a visit by a UK police expert on media relations, and a visit by an officer with oversight experience on building capacity in the Office of Professional Responsibility.
The release also stated that the High Commission is to support the “crime stoppers” initiative through the funding of a public information campaign.
The crime stoppers programme has been hampered by poor public backing.
Other support for the police component of the action plan included a new and expanded Criminal Intelligence Unit which has been set up and equipped with computers and other office equipment. Computers, printers and office furniture were also given to the Operations Room at the Brickdam Police Station, along with telephones that indicate incoming calls, complete with headsets. These were also given to stations in all divisions, the release added.
In order to boost traffic policing, fifty radar guns were given to the Police Force. There was also a training workshop for ranks on the 911 emergency switchboard and those who man the emergency telephone lines at other stations. In addition, guidance was given on the creation of a new criminal intelligence model.
The four-year SSR Action Plan follows the agreement between the two governments for British support to comprehensive security sector reform in Guyana.
In October 2007 a team of security reform experts from Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Africa and India visited Guyana to build on the work done to date, and to advise on a way forward. It was following these engagements, the release said, that the SSR Action Plan was crafted and an interim MoU for its implementation signed in August 2007.
The SSR Action Plan is closely aligned to the Citizen Security and Justice Reform programmes and is designed to build the operational capacity of the Guyana Police Force in terms of providing a uniformed response to serious crime, forensics, crime intelligence and traffic policing. And among its objectives are the strengthening of policy-making across the security sector to make it more transparent, effective, and better co-ordinated; creating of substantial parliamentary and other oversight of the security sector, and building greater public participation and inclusiveness on security sector issues.
The release also noted that following a National Stakeholder Forum by the government in February, agreement was reached to set up a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Crime and Security.
