The GPF has long been subjected to political manipulation; it has never been allowed to function as it truly should. The now ruling party itself had been on the receiving end of such manipulation during its time in opposition. Yet in the 17 years of its governance, the force has continued to be kneaded to meet the political conveniences of the hour.
In earlier decades, the force was misused in a variety of ways for political control, assembly disruption, and civilian exposure, among other things. It engaged, confronted, or stood by, as directed by the then political high command. At that time, there was a thinly concealed aggression and disdain aimed at the public. Today the approach is more nuanced and more individualized, but no less far reaching, as newcomers are quick to discover.
Wide-eyed rookies arrive: some for a job, some to serve, and some to connect and capitalize. Starting at the bottom, the ranks are pushed and pulled in varying directions – some official, some out of bounds, and some off the books. They see, they hear, they absorb. They learn of files commandeered, of colleagues redirected, and of issues raised or dropped – most pointing to compromises of professionalism and integrity, sometimes from within, sometimes without. In time, the short distance from perception to confirmation is quickly travelled. There comes the awareness of contracts for the conveniences of passports and firearm licences; of protection of wanted commercial stalwarts from apprehension; and of intelligence sharing with targets and other interferences. Services and intangibles concretized through varying shenanigans at the political level, but which have grown more circumspect with exposure and outcry. Here is a known political presence redolent of infiltration, interference, division, cover-ups, silence, vetoes, and stonewalling, as circumstances warrant.
Certainly, sections of the force could be criticized, at different times, for indifference, even the incomprehensible, but the politics of the moment have always been the primary contributory factor for the malaise that ensues. It provides the cover and environment for opportunists to operate with confidence, even arrogance. Thus stands the law enforcement house in the Guyanese Village where nothing occurs in a vacuum or secretly.
Unsurprisingly, newcomers and veterans seeking action, or subject to persuasion, soon insinuate themselves into this follow-the-leaders system where there are enough illicit deeds to be executed, and more than enough public parties ready to subsidize them into happening. In time the newcomers march up the ranks and become a law of their own, while providing (and gathering) the bones for a mutual skeleton preservation society. In aggregate, it is obvious that this is more than a few “bad eggs” and “rogue cops”; that it reaches beyond the purview of inspectors and sergeants; that today the very powerful intervene to address new exigencies and objectives.
There is the newness of a very senior officer inserting his men into a shootout and claiming credit for the killing of kidnappers, although the police arrived after their deaths; of police brass glistening in US court transcripts; of officers from overseas agencies refusing to share intelligence with local counterparts, for fear of leaks; and of yesterday’s politically heralded crime-fighting heroes identified as today’s alleged villains. Indeed, new circumstances and new allies demanding a new fluidity from those manoeuvering within a believed foolproof political chamber, it is one that must be guarded at all costs. Hence, it is goodbye to the British and a billion. There will not be any open-the-kimono protocol; the possibilities of exposure present too much vulnerability.
Through all of this, it must be remembered that there are dedicated men and women of unquestioned integrity in the ranks and upper echelons. But they lose resolve and innocence when they come to realize the numerous smoking guns within the barracks. Be it the corroboration of lifestyles incommensurate with pay scales; or developments lacking in adherence to established standards and procedures. But they soldier on, for in their hands and practices lies the dividing line between order and chaos.
To be sure, manpower, attrition, equipment, facilities are all significant areas in need of attention and action. But the problem is much deeper, because if all of the deficient structural areas were satisfactorily addressed, the issues of whether there is a culture rooted in professionalism and integrity would linger and remain. Society could still be easily swayed by new perceptions and confirmations of political and commercial infiltration.
So wherein reside the answers?
Only genuine reform can start to overcome the genies that have been let loose. Reform embodied in independent watchdogs, internal transparency and accountability, media access, public accountability and sanctions, a functioning internal affairs unit, complaints authority, and citizen review body. But reform begins and ends with political distance. A lack of the latter component has led to decay at various levels. Only political decoupling could engender the moral authority and ethical cleanliness to demand organizational discipline and individual standards; it lays the cornerstone for making other objectives – whether quantitative or qualitative – possible. The challenge is to go beyond meaningless postures and process. This is a tall order and would be representative of a reversal of established political mindsets. But it affords the freedom to implement a new and tough beginning; a beginning lagging in political manipulation and surging in force reformation. Is anyone really ready for this road?
Clearly, ruling politicians have, through expediency, handcuffed themselves to the state that prevails, and are hostages. Freedom and progress require doing what is right, such as throwing out the oversized political baby with the dirty police bathwater. The problem starts with catching that baby cat, and then belling it.
