Commissioner of Police (ag) Nigel Hoppie on Thursday announced that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has recorded an overall 18.8% decrease in serious crime during the last year.
As of March 8 this year, Hoppie also said, serious crime decreased by 16% when compared to the same period last year.
Hoppie provided the statistics while delivering remarks at the opening of the GPF’s Annual Officers’ Conference.
There were decreases in the occurrences of murders and armed robberies in 2021.
According to Hoppie, the force recorded a total of 131 murders during last year, which reflects a 16% decrease when compared to the previous year.
He added that there were 608 armed robberies committed in 2021, which reflects a 31% decrease from the previous year. Hoppie said firearms were used on 399 occasions and 12 persons lost their lives during the robberies.
Hoppie did, however, note that the offence of rape increased by 50 percent last year as 304 reports were recorded.
Hoppie told the conference that despite the challenges faced over the past year, the force has remain committed to its mandate through intelligence-led police and proactive strategies. “Our significant efforts have reduced the crime rate and road fatalities and we have maintained a stable and safe and peaceful society,” he said.
