To bolster its prosecution prowess, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) says it will operationalize a Police Prosecutors’ Coordinating Unit.
In a message yesterday to mark the 180th anniversary of the GPF, Police Commissioner Leslie James also said that among other plans is the operationalizing of the Traffic Advisory Board which will assess its traffic management posture.
The arrival of the 180th anniversary has found the GPF facing several serious challenges. The force’s crime chief, Lyndon Alves was sent on leave several days ago to allow the probing of explosive allegations from police ranks in Berbice. The GPF has also struggled to convince the public that the crime rate is down and its Special Organised Crime Unit has had serious fraud allegations levelled against it.
In his message yesterday, James said “…the administration of the Force is cognizant that the daily reporting in the media and the consequential absorption by the public, of criminal acts perpetrated within the country may lead many to believe that crime is on the rise. But, while the perception may be so, the numbers within the Organisation tell us that we are making progress.”
He added ”…. because of changing values in our society, we the administrators of the Force do acknowledge that there are instances of misconduct within our ranks. However, the membership of the Guyana Police Force number in excess of seven thousand … most of whom have been professional, law abiding, conscientious and humble. And for those who chose to run contrary, disciplinary actions have been taken against them”.
James also disclosed that the GPF will realign its Divisional Boundaries to the Regional Administrative Boundaries to foster greater cooperation at the regional level as well as fortify management of Divisions and commitment by ranks.
“The achievements highlighted above are built upon the experiences and expertise of members of the Force, both past and present. The invaluable input subscribed to by these committed members is priceless. That these men and women have chosen to give their infinite support humbles me. For this and more, I as Commissioner of Police wish to express my appreciation to all those committed persons for their contribution to the Force’s vision and development. So, it is with profound gratitude that I say sincere thanks to each and every one of the committed officers of the Force. On behalf of our great nation I say thank you all most sincerely for your service”, James added.
