The Guyana Police Force is responding to reports published in the Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and Guyana Chronicle on Thursday, February 4, dealing with an incident at Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, involving members of a community policing group and other residents, and which appeared to indicate that the community policing members were wrongfully arrested by the police.
At about 10:00h on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, Quacy Griffith, 18 years of Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, reported to the police at McKenzie Police Station that at about 01:30h that day he was assaulted by a group of men in a motor car who were armed with sticks and a cutlass and had beaten him about his body, while questioning him about a suspect in a matter who lived in the area.
Quacy Griffith said that he was rescued by the driver of a taxi who took him to the McKenzie Hospital where he was treated and sent away.
During the ensuing police investigations three of the suspects who allegedly beat Quacy Griffith were pointed out by him and arrested by the police. During their questioning the three men claimed to be members of a community policing group and alleged that they were on patrol in Central Amelia’s Ward, Linden, when they saw two men who were acting suspiciously. As they approached the two men they attempted to run away, but were pursued and one of them, Quacy Griffith, was caught.
They claimed that they placed him in their patrol car and went to the nearby home of another member of their community policing group to accompany them, where they were confronted by a group of persons armed with pieces of wood who attacked them. During this confrontation the rear windscreen, the glass of both rear doors and the rear lights of their motor vehicle were damaged. A glass door of the home of the community policing member they had gone to pick up was also damaged.
No information that could lead to the arrest of any of their reported attackers was given to the police by the community policing members, who were subsequently sent on bail.
It is important to note that up to the time that Quacy Griffith reported the matter to the police station, the members of the community policing group had not made any report to the police.
The Guyana Police Force wishes to state that members of community policing groups are not exempt from the law; police ranks are arrested when they are in breach of the laws. Members of community policing groups must work within the confines of the law and any breach on their part will be dealt with by the police.
Standing Operation Procedures also require that the police are informed whenever a community policing group is out on patrol in any community, and where possible a police rank is made available to be with the group members while on patrol. In the event that a police rank is unavailable, then a member of the group who is sworn in as a rural constable will be on patrol with the group.
In this instance the police had no knowledge of the group’s resuscitation and operation or the fact that they were on patrol in the Amelia’s Ward community on the particular night.
The matter is at present under investigation and legal advice will be sought.
Yours faithfully,
Ivelaw Whittaker
Public Relations and Press Officer
Guyana Police Force
