The Guyana Police Force (GPF) yesterday announced that murders are down 22.9% this year compared to 2020 and it says it has also recorded a 29.8% decrease in serious crime for the year so far.
Deputy Director of the force’s Corporate Communications Unit, Stan Gouveia yesterday made this disclosure in a press statement.
According to Gouveia, there have been 37 murders so far for the year compared to 48 for the same period last year.
As it relates to armed robberies where firearms were used by the perpetrators, Gouveia added that there has been a 38.4% decrease and a 47.7% decrease in armed robberies where other instruments were used.
The force said its “constant” operational activities which include mobile, foot and bicycle patrols; roadblocks, raids and searches along with the support of the Community Policing Groups contributed to the overall decrease in serious crime.
During his contribution to the 2021 budget debate in the National Assembly in February, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had reported that there was a 6.9% decrease in serious crime last year.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) had said that Benn noted that the reduction was based on the effects of the ‘stay-at-home’ order necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The police statement yesterday further noted that there will be an increased emphasis on motorcycle and bicycle bandits.
“Recognizing that criminal-minded persons have been riding motorcycles and bicycles in their robbery attacks on citizens, extensive campaigns are ongoing in the police divisions to rein in and detain these vehicles and arrest persons where applicable which has resulted in a number of motorcycles and bicycles being detained and which are being processed in terms of lawful ownership and other issues,” the police explained.
The GPF is urging citizens to remain security conscious as they carry out their daily routines.
It particularly advised to avoid moving around with large sums of cash.
Additionally, the police said countrywide operations by the force’s Narcotics department have resulted in a total of 111 kilograms, 11.4 grams of cannabis sativa (marijuana) and 267.2 grams of cocaine being confiscated for the year thus far.
