Former Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud on Friday launched a book detailing his experiences in the Guyana Police Force, including the evolution of crime after the February 2002 Camp Street jailbreak.
The launch of the book, “Stepping Out of the Herd: My life in the Guyana Police Force,” was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, at Liliendaal, where Attorney General Anil Nandlall told attendees that Persaud’s recommendations would be considered.
Speaking at the launch, Persaud said even though he “toyed” with the idea of providing a firsthand account of his experience in the force through writing on several occasions, he never took it seriously.
It was not until after his retirement that Persaud encountered “significant” free time and he began writing the book in 2019.
He shared with the gathering that after retiring from the force in April, 2018, he made attempts at a few business ventures but they did not gain any traction.
“In 2019, with significant free time at hand, I realised that I was actually not done with public service. I felt I would write about the police force by giving better understanding of the organisation in a way that can provide a basis for discussions on improving its efficiency and effectiveness in the future,” Persaud said.
“I was cognisant of the fact that the police force historically operated with principles of monopoly, isolation and secrecy and, therefore, while there were public comments on its deliverables, the dynamics of its system and culture were to a large extent misunderstood or unknown,” he explained.
He said he was hopeful that with the information and knowledge he acquired during his years in the force, he can make a difference in the future policing service of the country. “As I began my research, I became convinced that my experiences will be significantly useful in enhancing and understanding the system’s weaknesses, cultural stereotypes, biases and other dynamics, accountability, framework and control mechanisms, among other things,” he added.
“……Notably, my life experiences also include a lengthy record of self development that youths can benefit from, if shared,” he also said.
The 323-page book contains 12 chapters, including ones on critical moments in the evolution of crime in the early aughts.
A chapter focused on “The Debilitating Impact of Violent Crimes” touches on the “5 for Freedom/Buxton Gang” and the “Phantom Squad,” the Lusignan, Bartica and Lindo Creek massacres, the theft of AK-47 rifles from the army, the killing of former Minister of Agriculture Satyadeow `Sash’ Sawh.
Persaud has also written about challenges faced while he headed the force.
In the final chapter, Persaud provides recommendations to transform the GPF, including decentralised leadership, a merit-based promotion system and changes in the salaries and allowances and recruitment policy.
Delivering the feature address at the launch, Nandall described the book as a landmark publication.
He assured that the recommendations made by Persaud will be looked at by Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn.
“The recommendations are going to be looked at… There are many many good recommendations that can come out of this book and we can continue to learn from the great experiences of Seelall Persaud,” Nandall said.
According to Nandlall, the book is the only publication of its kind which was written by a former Commissioner of Police.
“This I believe is unprecedented….For the first time a police officer who would have been on the scene, who would have been involved, who would have had firsthand knowledge of a lot of things, a lot of events, a lot of violent episodes that took place in this country and we now have a narrative coming from almost an eyewitness, an investigator or a person who was exposed first hand to a lot of the raw information and raw activities as they were unfolding,” Nandlall said.
He further noted that the book is “unique” since Persaud was the second Commissioner of Police of East Indian ancestry in the country. “The book confronts in a very real and frank manner, many taboo subjects and many subjects that we have swept under the carpet over the years. Many subjects and incidents that we don’t wish to talk about, Seelall has recorded….For the first time we have eyewitness account and an account from an investigator who would have had an opportunity greater than any other recording of these events that we may have seen, heard or read about,” Nandall explained.
The Attorney General said that he strongly believes that the book will be a “remarkable” addition to the country’s literature and history. “…It will shed light on many many areas that we lack information on or we have wrong information on. It will also put out there once more, many of the conclusions that have been put out there, many of the inferences that have been drawn or put forward as factual statements but disputed,” he said.
The book is available online and in store for purchase at a cost of $8000.
