Acting on a request from Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, which was made public by the same minister on Monday, Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell has removed the police officers stationed at the Number 51 Village Police Station and replaced them with a new batch of law enforcers in a move he believes will reduce crime on the Corentyne and restore confidence in the Guyana Police Force – at least on the Corentyne.
Mr Rohee’s request for “a total change of the guard,” came at the behest of residents of several villages contiguous to Number 51, beginning at Number 48, who had been at the mercy of a gang of marauding bandits. In a seemingly well-planned campaign which started sometime late last year, the bandits attacked homes and businesses. They wore masks, always seemed to have at least one gun and demanded money and jewellery. They did not hesitate to inflict harm on those whose possessions they purloined; some victims they also killed.
Villagers grew increasingly incensed at the lack of action by the police. There were calls to the station that went unanswered, seemingly desultory moves towards investigating the crimes and eventually behaviour that led to the allegation that the police were involved in the criminal activity. This provided the tipping point that sent villagers onto the streets protesting. Following the protest action on Sunday, Mr Brumell visited the Corentyne area on Tuesday along with some of his top officers and two Members of Parliament.
The sweeping changes were announced during a meeting Mr Brumell held with residents, much to their delight. All eyes will now be centred on the Corentyne to see how well those changes work.
But it does not and cannot end there. Mr Brumell’s action has given rise to a number of questions. Chief among them is whether a precedent has now been set for the transferral of entire police-station-manning complements when serious allegations are made against one or more of the officers serving there? Did the Guyana Police Force have any confidence in the former Number 51 station officers? Where have they been sent? And should the community or communities they will now serve repose any trust in them?
Before the allegation was made of police involvement in the crimes peppering the Corentyne, there was endless ventilation about them in the media. Victims recounted how and when the robberies were committed, what their losses were and expressed fear at the growing onslaught. Villagers formed themselves into vigilante groups and began patrolling the areas. Business people, including officials of the Upper Corentyne Chamber of Commerce made calls for an increased police presence, more patrols, improved response time – anything and everything they could think of that might help curb the attacks. There was no indication that the police hierarchy heard them. There was no sign of anything being done differently until the protest action started.
Not to take anything away from the pain and suffering the Corentyne villagers endured, armed robberies targeting homes and businesses have long been a way of life for Guyanese all over this country. They have given rise to several new industries including iron grille work and electronic security systems. Persons building homes today, install the iron grilles before they plaster on the concrete as this is no longer a consideration, but a must have.
The lack of police response is almost expected, so much so that people write letters to the editor singing praises when the police actually respond and in a timely manner to a home invasion. And complaints made about the 911 emergency number ringing out when it is called could fill several books.
Yet for all of this, if there were any shakeups, clean sweeps or changes of the guard, they must have been done surreptitiously. That being said, we are in total agreement with total changes of the guard and sweeping changes being made in the Guyana Police Force. We would wish to see Mr Brumell take his broom to other parts of the country, or where necessary a vacuum cleaner. Every rug should be lifted and shaken and, yes, move the furniture around if that is what it would take to restore confidence in the Guyana Police Force.
