The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Friday welcomed 27 new constables from Region Nine and acting Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken urged them to uphold the values of the institution and remain professional at all times.
“In and out of uniform, ethical standards must be maintained at all times. You decide your journey in the organisation as an individual. So whatever you do you will be judged. We prepared you adequately with the tools you need to use to get the job done. It is now your responsibility to identify the tools needed to perform your specific roles,” Hicken told the new officers, a release from the GPF said.
A graduation ceremony was held for the new ranks who successfully completed recruit course 387 at the Officers Training Centre, Eve Leary.
The recruits were drawn from various communities in Region Nine and will now be assigned to serve different departments in that region.
According to the release, in his feature address, Hicken urged the constables to operate as ambassadors of the force. “You are integrated into the Guyana Police Force and you are the catalyst-for-change group. It is expected that you act and operate as ambassadors of the Guyana Police Force, irrespective of the region you are placed… You understand the culture, you understand the dialect and you understand the way things are being conducted in that area. You are now policemen and women,” he was quoted as saying.
“Your duty is not to escalate any situation but rather de-escalate that issue. You should create an atmosphere where you are well-respected in your communities, you are to create an atmosphere where you assume leadership.”
Hicken further told the new constables that the “new contemporary” force must be evidence-based if it is to transition to the Guyana Police Service.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner – Administration (ag) Calvin Brutus advised the constables to avoid being on the wrong side of the law.
“The environment to which you are going, you saw through the eyes of a civilian. But now you will be viewing the community and society through the eyes of law enforcement with keen eyes to maintain and build partnerships already established by the police force,” the release quoted him as saying. “So strive to ensure that you maintain law and order to meet the mandate of the organisation and your communities as well.”
The release said he also reminded them that building confidence with members of the public will aid in bridging the gap between the force and citizens at large.
