Dear Editor,
The actions of some police officers are nothing short of distasteful, and are proving to be very counter-productive to the efforts of those who truly seek to ‘serve and protect.’ It is enough that we as a people and community in Albouystown are forced to contend with the harsh realities of everyday living and then our challenges are further compounded by the extortionist tactics of some police officers patrolling our neighbourhood. This is not to say that such a label should be applied to all such persons; no it shouldn’t. But the actions of this minority who only seem bent on ensuring their material advancement at our expense instead of tackling serious issues of criminality, give the impression that the GPF was created to further compound our woes, which is not so.
On any given day in Albouystown there is the visible presence of police patrol vehicles as well as motorcycle patrols; this is good. But judging from the actions of some of these folks one has to question the motive of such a presence, which I’m sure, was to avert and combat serious crime. Instead, a scenario develops where a few members of the anti-crime unit are performing the functions of traffic officers and go-betweens for drug pushers, and where demands for bribes from persons caught smoking marijuana, etc, are made. In some cases drugs confiscated from one pusher after he/she has paid his/her fair share is then resold by ranks to other dealers, in the full view of all and sundry. So instead of eradicating the drug scourge what we have is its increase by virtue of the actions of these folks.
The Guyana Defence Force must be commended for efforts taken subsequent to the implication of army ranks in the robbery and murder of two civilians in 2009 to rid the organization of persons with criminal intent; however, such actions must be extended to the Guyana Police Force also. It is a widely held view of residents that one out of every five male Albouystown residents between the ages of 17-35 is subjected to several police searches per week; the majority of these searches yield nothing. So we have a case where some patrols deployed in this community are more concerned with finding a few grammes of marijuana or an unlicensed driver with the hope of being bribed. It is also an open secret that some young constables who patrol certain South Georgetown areas suddenly become the owners of vehicles which are obtained on a hire-purchase basis from auto dealers, with the instalments being far more than a month’s salary. How these officers are able to meet such financial demands is anyone’s guess.
Editor, though measures should be undertaken to rid the force of such unscrupulous elements, we are tired of all the talk. In the meantime, law-abiding citizens are tired of being harassed and have developed a dislike for those who should be upholding the law. A typical example could be gleaned from reports that a frustrated resident disarmed and inflicted a beating on one rank after he was repeatedly searched. I also know that it is the right of the police to stop and search individuals whom they deem to be suspicious, but not if such a right is being abused in order to extort.
So instead of fostering a good relationship between themselves and the law-abiding members of this community we are now experiencing a breakdown caused by the ‘get rich at any cost’ mentality of a few. I urge those in authority to take heed and residents to await the extension of a police outreach programme similar to the one afforded the residents of South and North Ruimveldt.
Yours faithfully,
Jason Abdulla
