The London Metropolitan Police Service has, over the past weeks, been training trainers among the officers of the Guyana Police Force Tactical Services Unit (TSU) in rapid response tactics and techniques.

This is as the UK continues to provide support for the Guyana Security Sector Reform (SSR) Action Plan. A release yesterday from the British High Commission noted that a seven-man team from the London Metropolitan Service arrived in Guyana on July 2 and had been sharing its knowledge.
On Tuesday, UK Deputy High Commissioner Malcolm Kirk and the team met Commissioner of Police Henry Greene for a debriefing session.

The Deputy High Commissioner also took the opportunity to hand over 50 bulletproof vests for use by the TSU. The release informed that before it departs Guyana, the team will submit a report on the training and proposals for additional training to boost the capabilities of the GPF. The work of the team builds on earlier support provided by the UK through the British High Commission.

Meanwhile, training in the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and related equipment, which were handed over in June, is expected to start shortly. It was noted that since it signed an Interim Memorandum of Understanding in August 2007 to support reform in Guyana’s security sector, the British High Commission has been working closely with the Government of Guyana on the implementation of the SSR Action Plan.

The plan is designed to build the operational capacity of the police, from the provision of a uniformed response to serious crime, to forensics, crime intelligence and traffic policing. It is also aimed at strengthening policy making across the security sector to make it more transparent, effective, and better coordinated; create substantial parliamentary and other oversight of the security sector; mainstream financial management in the security sector into public sector financial management reform and build greater public participation and inclusiveness on security sector issues.