Georgetown: Countrywide Community Relations Officers met with Public Relations Office (PRO) Superintendent Jairam Ramlakhan to discuss strategies that included strengthening of community relations, negative and positive publicity and the sharing of information in a timely manner.
The team met Monday at Public Relations Office Parade Street Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.
In highlighting the work of community relations officer, Superintendent Ramlakhan said the duties of the officer involve building close and lasting relationships with community organizations, institutions, businesses, schools, media and residents in the area.
He explained that the officers can therefore identify issues and concerns that affect the quality of life and sense of safety of the residents in their neighbourhood.
“Their focus is on social groups or the most vulnerable individuals in terms of being victimised and feeling safe. On the regular basis, the community relations officer gets out to meet the many partners. The officer should meets residents and business people and regularly visits schools in the particular division’s area, homes for the elderly and community centres as a few examples,” Ramlakhan noted.
Given their vast knowledge of their area, the Superintendent noted that community relations officers are valuable resources in resolving problems and putting lasting solutions in place.
“Community relations officers apply corporate prevention and intervention programs. They also develop local prevention programs that are adapted to the reality of their own local station. They therefore contribute their expertise and knowledge to maintaining safety in their division. They also provide support to officers at their local station in their areas of expertise, due to their indepth knowledge of the features of their division and their relationships with local partners,” he explained.
He said they take on an especially important role with young people in the division’s area.
As youth intervention experts at their stations, the PRO said they should regularly visit schools and identify young people at risk of being involved in or affected by a criminal activity. They give presentations to students to provide them with safety and prevention advice. When necessary, they put targeted action or intervention plans in place to take action against certain issues.
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