Encouraging better accountability, decreasing corruption allegations and preparation for the upcoming General Elections are among the issues which will be dealt with at this year’s Inspectors and Sergeants Conference (ISC).
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, during his feature address at the opening of the conference yesterday, said that during this year better accountability, both financial and management, by sergeants and inspectors should be evident and enhanced preparations for the upcoming General Elections should commence at the earliest.
In addition to these pressing issues, the minister added, steps will be taken to ensure that allegations of corruption against ranks are investigated; there will be heightened activities to reduce incidents of crime and traffic violations in the various districts; a greater awareness of the need for security in communities; and the expansion of neighbourhood policing.
Rohee said 2011 will not be an ordinary year for the country nor the Guyana Police Force (GPF) because General Elections will be held in a few months. The conference, the minister noted, is being conducted in advance of elections and is critical to the proper functioning of the GPF.
During the annual ISCs, Rohee said, his ministry which is responsible for public safety is given an opportunity to enlighten the GPF’s middle managers (inspectors and sergeants) about some of the government’s policies on national security especially as they relate to their day-to-day work.
Further, Rohee explained that the conference allows the Home Affairs Ministry to present some of its concerns to the officers as regards their performance. Matters that are of relevance to the proper functioning of police stations are also discussed at this forum and the attendees are given a chance to make suggestions for the improvement of the delivery of service to the public.
The upcoming elections, the minister said, will require the force to be properly prepared and this preparation should be started as early as possible. Police officers, Rohee stated, must be aware of the laws which govern them in monitoring the many political meetings which have already commenced; in particular they must have good knowledge of the Public Order Act; intermediate managers must also ensure that juniors are trained to deal with such instances, and must ensure that welfare facilities are put in place for ranks who will be performing extra duties during the elections.
The minister further advised the inspectors and sergeants that they should not await instructions from their superiors to conduct their needs assessments for the elections period. This, Rohee said, should be done at the earliest opportunity.
Rohee further told the gathering that the Ministry of Home Affairs recognises the critical role the GPF has to play in the improvement of the welfare of citizens through the provision of better security. In order to aid GPF in achieving this goal, he said, a number of initiatives have been taken by the ministry.
The ministry, he said, has in recent years provided more equipment for the technical aspects of the force’s operations and has also made more land and water transport available for patrols. The force’s physical facilities, Rohee further said, have also been improved as well as the general welfare of all police officers.
Despite the provision of additional transport, as Rohee said, GPF continues to have difficulty responding to crimes because of a lack of transport in some instances. The largest police division, E&F, which includes an expanse of interior locations, has had many difficulties in patrolling their terrain. A need for ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) for this division has been raised repeatedly in recent years.
Further, there have been a number of recent water top robberies. There have also been cases of robberies where the perpetrators escaped via a boat into the Demerara River. Last year, two guards at the Engineering Technology Incorporated (ECI) were attacked twice and robbed of millions worth in equipment by gunmen who then escaped in the river.
Other initiatives taken to improve the overall performance of the force, the minister said, include the Citizens Security Project (CSP) which was started two years ago. This programme is a joint initiative between the government and the Inter-American Development Bank. The project is expected to modernise the GPF to meet the challenges and demands of the 21st century, Rohee said.
The increase in the use of information technology to record and analyse incidents of crime and traffic violations to support prevention and enforcement activities; the improvement in the delivery of the training of junior and middle level managers of GPF; and general capacity building of the force are other aims of the CSP. Rohee encouraged the senior manager of the force to inform the inspectors and sergeants about this project and to help them better understand its aims.
Several other issues which are expected to be addressed at the conference were also mentioned by the minister. These include: encouraging community cooperation and support, expanding community policing groups, ensuring that enough aid is given to station management committees to ensure they function properly, and promoting professionalism.
Special emphasis, the minister said, will be given to the proper procedures to be followed in managing police stations and outposts to promote efficiency and provide a better service to citizens. This, he said, is in keeping with the conference’s theme for this year: ‘Towards Greater Efficiency in Managing Police Stations/Out Posts.’
