Local artist Esan Benzy blew past 70 other entries to win the Guyana Police Force (GPF) academylogo and slogan competition.
During a simple ceremony at the GPF conference room at Eve Leary on Friday, Benzy was awarded the winning prize of $300,000. Shamar Semple, whose entry came in second place, was awarded the sum of $200,000 and Harry Gill won the third prize of $100,000 for his entry.
According to a GPF statement, the creation of the new logo was part of an effort to deliver a sense of honour, pride and belonging to the ranks of the GPF. Benzy’s winning logo, “drew inspiration from the existing Police Force emblem flanked by a laurel wreath of leaves (a Greek symbol of military victory) and the Cacique Crown (an Indigenous symbol of authority and honour); but with a more modern look and in keeping with the new modern academy,” the release said.
“It also features an open book that references a welcoming place of learning and interlocked hands of differing hues which represent diversity and the national goal of ‘One Guyana’ through unity, and by extension, one academy under one police force.”
Meanwhile, the new slogan for the police academy is ‘Knowledge, Honour, Integrity’.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Calvin Brutus informed that the new symbol is expected to be printed on all documentation including certificates issued by the academy while noting that the institution will be United Kingdom (UK) accredited and thus internationally recognised.
Meanwhile, Acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken posited that the new logo and slogan “will help the general public to understand the concept of the Guyana Police Force’s college transitioning to a police academy.”
In July last year, the GPF had posted a statement on its Facebook page which said: “The Guyana Police Force has taken a decision to change the name of the Felix Austin Police College to the Guyana Police Force Academy.” That notice invited interested artists and designers to submit a logo and slogan design for the academy. The deadline for submissions was Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 12:00 hrs.
The announcement, which was described as sudden by many, had invoked much criticism, especially from those who had played a vital role in the development of the force. However, the GPF pushed back against the critics and explained that the name change had been in the works after a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between the GPF and the University of Guyana in October 2021.
At that signing, Brutus had said that the MoA was created as a result of the force needing to develop modules for ranks to ensure that it delivers on its mandate in keeping with contemporary best practices for the police in Guyana. He had also explained that part of it had to do with the accreditation of the police training college, which “is just by name… the substance and standard [are] not there.” He said that through the agreement, it was hoped that the college would be
accredited in the shortest possible time. Further, the MoA would cater for a range of programmes to be developed, with others to be refined.
