Acting Commissioner of Police Leroy Brumell on Thursday warned police not to tolerate indiscipline within their ranks.
“Deal with indiscipline, don’t condone it because when you encourage it, [it] turns into a monster that some of us will be unable to handle,” Brumell said in an address to the passing out parade for Recruit Course No. 307 as well as participants at the closing of Disciplinary and Traffic seminars.
According to him, the reform of the Guyana Police Force places emphasis at all levels to have ranks trained both locally and internationally to be more professional, especially when they have to deal with the public at large.
“I want you to go out there and be the shining light of this organisation… we don’t expect you to go out there with this laissez-faire type of attitude,” he told to the 25 ranks that successfully completed the three courses, while encouraging them to be ambassadors of the Guyana Police Force.
Police officers need to rebuild the gap between the members of the public and the force, Brumell also said, while adding that they should behave as “servants of the people” and that he often feels “hurt when complaints are made about police misconduct.”
Meanwhile, Brumell noted that so far for this year there have been 17 deaths on the roadways, compared with 13 for the same period last year.
“Persons are losing their lives like when animals run across the road,” he said, and he suggested that police ranks should start visiting bars and subject driving patrons to breathalyser tests before they move off.
He added that drivers who are involved in fatal accidents will have their license suspended. “When the boys go in front of them magistrates, they get $100,000 bail and then the next day you see them driving another bus,” he also lamented.
Before the end of the function on Thursday, Constable Colwin Solomon, who had been standing with others in the sun, collapsed and had to be taken to be revived. Moments later, Constable Solomon marched back out and was then saluted by the acting Commissioner of Police who presented him his award for Best Drill Student. He was also given $10,000 for his dedication by Brumell.
