Dear Editor,
I have been criss-crossing this country over the years and have had reasons to visit several police stations and observe the behaviour of police ranks. Very often I shake my head in despair: most of our policemen and women are underperforming and are doing a disservice to the Force and to the citizens of this country. They see people’s matters as a humbug to their reverie.
Dale Andrews had done a thorough analysis of the Police Reform Strategy. It was the hope that policymakers (both politicians and the force administration) would have been galvanised, not only to fast-forward reforms but to put mechanisms in place to enforce the reforms. After all, the reforms are intended to change certain processes and behaviours within the Force, much of which are ugly, still prevail and are very noticeable.
While Acting Commissioner Ramnarine is taking the bull by the horns, I am hopeful that his efforts are not short-lived, because the cancer of graft is still very much alive.
As a citizen of this country, I would like to see the reintroduction and/or re-enforcement of regular drills at Stations by ranks. We have lots of Police ranks who are lazy, indisciplined and do not fit the bill for active policing. Additionally, regular drills serve to remind the Police of the psychological face they show to the public. Further, young people are always impressed by these drills and, hopefully, would be encouraged to join the Force.
Secondly, I am seeing ranks, from Commanders down, being on duty in Civilian attire. Members of the public are unable to distinguish between those who are on duty and who are not, or who is a Police rank or not. On top of that, many ranks do not wear their regulation badges on their attire. This contributes to the laissez faire outlook of many members of the Force. I have spoken to many retired officers of the Force and they do not hesitate to use the expression: we have a disappointment for a Police Force.
Thirdly, Dark clothes ranks and TSU ranks stop vehicles and ask for documents in many cases which cannot be regarded as suspicious circumstances. Also, ad hoc two-man road blocks are set up and mostly young drivers are targeted. I am told that very often money ends up changing hands.
Fourthly, I am in receipt of regular reports of Police not going on the ground to investigate reports. They prefer to pull in both parties to the incident and charge them. Or both parties “pay up”.
I can go on. But I think I have raised enough glaring lapses on the part of Police ranks to merit investigation and correction and I am requesting the Administration of the Guyana Police Force to make whistle stops at Police Stations and start taking off stripes from Ranks and “mannersing” ranks for dereliction of duty and breach of Force Orders: improper record-keeping, etc. etc. Nothing less will help to solve the problem.
It is the popular feeling that when some ranks are disciplined they run to their “godparents” in the Force or at the political level. I am optimistic that this will be discouraged.
I am aware of the several initiatives put in place by the current Commissioner, but I am also aware that many ranks fail, even refuse, to support these initiatives.
We simply cannot continue to have a Police Force with the Motto “Serve and Protect” but what is actually seen is the total opposite.
My contribution does not gainsay some decent and professional policemen and women in the Force, but there are many, many rotten apples in the barrel. The barrel must be sanitised.
Yours faithfully,
Taajnauth Jadunauth
