Twenty-three members of the joint services completed a nine-week junior officer’s course last Friday with the need for the continued training of officers as to better serve the public was emphasised.
The 17 male and six female officers were drawn from the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Guyana Prison Service, the Guyana Fire Service and the City Constabulary were given lectures and power point presentations on 116 topics. They were also required to conduct research and were involved in group assignments.
During the closing ceremony, which was held at the Police Officer Mess, Eve Leary, Acting Police Commissioner Henry Greene told the officers that their roles were vital.
He urged them to display leadership traits and create measures to take control and communicate so as to ensure the effective running of their respective stations,
According to the commissioner training in every organisation is vital and though there is on the job training, there is also a need for self development.
He pointed out that all of the senior officers’ present for the occasion had participated in the course and recounted how things learnt during the course helped him in his university studies.
“There is quite a lot of value in the junior officers’ course.
It is a very academic programme and it is also professional,” he said.
Greene said junior officers were important as there are instances when they are in charge.
Thanking the University of Guyana for its continued support in the academic training to ranks in a number areas, Greene expressed his appreciation to all those lecturers, past members of the force and others who lent their time and services to ensure it was a success.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee said it is the responsibility of the force to ensure that suitable persons are identified and trained so as to fill the vacuum that is being left by retirees.
He told the officers that they were a vital link in the chain of command in the Guyana Police Force but in order to successfully perform their duties, they need to show leadership.
Rohee told the ranks that they need to know how to deal with their subordinates and members of the public as well as to be honest in their communication with superiors as failure to do this could affect the integrity of the force.
He reminded the participants that the different aspects of the course will be of immense benefit to them in conducting their duties.
Rohee stated too that junior officers need to ensure that constables/privates adhere to standing orders and that discipline is maintained.
Concern
Rohee also expressed concern about the police’s inaction with regard to complaints made by members of the public.
According to Rohee, the primary task of the force is to assist the public but he has been receiving many complaints from members of the public about police inaction in matters reported at police stations.
Most of the complaints are against constables and stressed that many of these matters could have been dealt with to the satisfaction of the complainant at the station or sub-divisional level.
“However because of inadequate supervision in some instances, the dissatisfied persons end up at the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking redress,” he pointed out.
The minister said that junior officers are required to ensure that the matters are dealt with at their level to the satisfaction of the complainant.
“The force has to strive to garner the support of the public to control crime and other forms of illegal activity in our country, which is an ongoing battle,” he added.
Reflecting on the course, Woman Assistant Superin-tendent of Police Maxine Graham pointed out that the research paper tested their knowledge but stressed that they would have liked to do more research relevant to the force.
The course was divided into two modules. It aimed to provide participants with the necessary knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that will allow them to understand their role as junior managers in the organisations, as well as develop managerial and operational capabilities of the participants to enable them to perform at a consistently high standard.