Members of the Tuschen Community Policing Group say their fight against crime in the East Bank Essequibo community is hampered by the non-cooperation of the police with them.
Yesterday, members of the CPG managed to retrieve three stolen bicycles from members of a gang who stole bicycles and broke into homes in the Housing Scheme before coming under attack with cutlasses and knives.
One member told Stabroek News that calls to the Leonora police station for back-up were in vain as they were told that there were no ranks available. This has been the case for some time now, the CPG member said.
He said that the lack of support from the police has seen a large reduction in numbers of the once vibrant policing group but they are still trying.
The man said that a gang in Tuschen is stealing bicycles, animals such as sheep and breaking into homes and carting off appliances. He said that members of the policing group spotted three members of the gang at a house yesterday and managed to retrieve three stolen bicycles which were later identified by their owners, as well as two cutlasses and three knives but were not able to arrest the perpetrators who attacked them. “So much time we had to call Leonora and no police was available,” the CPG member lamented.
He said that the Neighbourhood Police who are paid and work in the day time, do not function effectively and many own their own businesses and would tend to these rather than perform their policing duties. He said that the lack of support from the police has been noticeable over the past months since many times when they call for assistance, no ranks are available.
The CPG member said that they are calling on the Commissioner of Police or the Minister of Home Affairs to take action so that the CPG can once again get the support of the police. The man said that a senior officer in the division had told ranks not to cooperate with the CPGs and this is discouraging many of the members.
