Information flow within the Guyana Police Force received a boost yesterday with the commissioning of a data centre as part of ongoing efforts to modernize the institution.
The $60 million facility, which will later facilitate the linking of information technology (IT) units throughout the force as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs and other appropriate state agencies, is catered for under the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB) sponsored Citizen Security Programme (CSP). The centre is expected be the primary mover of statistical and other information across the various departments.
It is located in the lower flat of the Commissioner of Police building at police headquarters Eve Leary. The small unit already contains the mainframe server with appropriate air condition unit to avoid any overheating.
At the simple ceremony Commissioner of Police Henry Greene pointed out that the centre will be the bedrock for all further development being made in the force and will enable the responsible officials to better co-ordinate the flow and speed of information.
Eighteen IT centres at various police stations across the country will be linked and will aid an improved system of messaging, quicker flow of crime reports as well as updated information on crimes being committed in other parts of the country, according to Greene.
He emphasized that information flow has and will always be of importance and so the force was working to have all of its 90 police stations and outposts linked for this purpose.
Project Coordinator Khemraj Rai in brief remarks pointed out that the remodelled police stations were already equipped to be linked to the data centre. He explained that plans are on stream for a training programme for trainers within the force in all areas including the management of the centre.
He said work is currently being done under the CSP to establish a Forensic Labora-tory to serve the country.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee who delivered the feature address said the ministry would benefit substantially from the data centre , from a management perspective. Rohee said it has been recognized that for any organization to be successful in its operation it must have at its disposal, an efficient management information system.
He added that data like statistical information about crime was important for analytical purposes and quick access to this information was important for guiding the management of the force. From a policy formulation perspective, Rohee pointed out, the centre would be useful to obtain information on matters relating to policing at a faster rate and will aid timely policy decisions.
Clear understanding of the usage of the information, he said was important as well as the fact that it should be properly formulated and presented.
He also pointed out that security features of the system must be under constant review to guard against it becoming compromised. He emphasized too that properly trained staff should always be available to keep the various systems operational.
Rohee told the gathering that through the CSP some US$12 million had already been invested in the modernization of the force.
The CSP covers the institutional modernization of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the modernization of the police force and crime and violence prevention through community based interventions.
Rohee told the gathering that as responsible minister for ensuring the successful implementation of the reform and transformation, he has a vision that the police force will become one that no longer lacks public confidence.
It will be “a force that the public embraces, supports and openly co-operates with,” he said.
He said the passage of several anti-crime laws provided the legal framework for the transformation and further revealed that on July 31 he signed a commencement order bringing into force certain aspects of the interception of communications act related to communications in speech, music, as well as data or text.
He said this was a vital tool in the hands of the law enforcement agencies for crime detection and crime prevention.