-Rohee tells police conference
After a year of what he called mixed results, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee yesterday urged senior officers of the Guyana Police Force to focus on intelligence-led policing, improved community relations and professional conduct.
He was addressing the Annual Police Officers’ Conference at Eve Leary, where he also emphasised that a high level of performance is expected of the force as well as the need to adapt to an operating environment where criminals are increasingly using technology. “In addition to confronting traditional crimes, drug trafficking and other drug related incidents, the police are required to confront sophisticated crimes such as cyber crime,” he told the Conference, while noting the need for the force to adjust its method to meet the new challenges.
Reviewing the performance of the police force in 2009, he singled out allegations of misconduct. “While it is recognised that in any organisation there is every likelihood that a few deviants will find themselves among its staff, I think that the incidents of misconduct involving ranks were too many in 2009 and have to be addressed,” Rohee said, citing allegations of financial impropriety, the mistreatment of prisoners and corrupt practices. The minister told the senior officers that he was “uncomfortable” with this development and as such called on them to address the issue. “These aspects of indiscretions by a few members of the force have seriously affected the gains that have been made in other aspects of the force’s operations, particularly as it relates to its outreach programmes,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the minister told the officers they need to analyse whether the public was getting the value for the money invested in the force and he reminded that the force cannot operate in a vacuum. He told the officers that they have to be conscious of the environment in which they operate and the needs and expectations of their various communities. “If you are to be able to gain public support, you have to take time to understand what are the expectations of the public of the police. This would enable you to craft viable strategies to police your communities,” the minister told the officers.
Among the expectations of the public listed by the minister was the need to encounter an effective, professional and courteous police man or woman. And to help the police to effectively carry out their mandate, Rohee said in addition to the $14.9 billion allocated to the force in this year’s budget the government would also be investing further sums in a number of areas. These areas include: the maintenance and rehabilitation of buildings; the acquisition of land and water transport; the acquisition of equipment such as a water canon to enable the force to be better able to manage public order incidents; and the provision of facilities to aid you in the use of technology to combat crime. The improvement of the use of information technology to facilitate better data collection is also on the agenda.
He also told the officers they need to engage more robust efforts interdict drug traffickers, especially the major traffickers and give greater support the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Guyana Energy Agency to combat the smuggling of fuel and Contraband.
Improvement
Rohee told the officers that while the force’s performance last year could be considered to be creditable, there is need for improvement. Areas of concern to the minister include the fact that ‘A’ Division, which encompasses Georgetown and the East Bank, is still being affected by too many street robberies, organised crimes and murders and there is still too many gang related robberies in the Berbice area. He said the re-emergence incidents of the theft of certain types of motor cars, especially in ‘A’ Division and the possible link of the perpetrators of this type of crime with criminal elements in Berbice needs the attention of the force.
Meanwhile, the minister expressed his dissatisfaction at the way reports of domestic violence are treated by officers at various police stations. “I am far from satisfied with the way in which reports of domestic violence are being addressed at police stations. I am informed that in many instances when complainants make their reports at some stations, they are told to return another day. This results in frustration and eventual non-cooperation by the victims. More effective ways should be found to investigate and finalise these complaints,” Rohee said.
He added that the public looks to the police for protection and whenever they make a report to stations, especially in times of distress, they expect the police would respond to their calls within a reasonable time. “Thus, if when they make their reports, they are rudely treated or told that the police has no rank or vehicle to respond, it does not assist in the improvement of the confidence of the public in the force,” he said while urging that management monitor the manner in which reports are responded to at various stations. “Merely, stating that you have set targets in terms of time, to respond to reports is not enough,” he stressed.
On another issue, the minister called for more monitoring of the payments of traffic ticket fines.
He said the issuance of traffic tickets to an errant driver or person does not result in the end of the matter. He said the Home Ministry is at the moment carrying out an exercise to ascertain to what extent the drivers have been paying their fines and the initial prognosis does not appear to be encouraging. “If drivers are of the view that they can ‘get away’ with not paying their fines, the traffic ticket system could become ineffective,” he emphasised.