Georgetown: Commissioner of Police Leslie James said that the Guyana Police Force is at a critical juncture and the Force must move forward in a professional manner while demonstrating leadership as such the Standing Orders will be reviewed with amendments and recommendations being implemented.
The Top Cop shared this perspective while addressing the ranks at an inspection parade on Monday that comprised of Sergeants and Constables at the Brickdam Police Station Compound.
He said: “this is a revolving world we are living in, a revolving society and what might have been good then may not necessarily be good now, so that is a work in progress”.
In attendance were: Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ Paul Williams; Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’ Maxine Graham ; Deputy Commissioner ‘Law Enforcement’ Lyndon Alves; Head Special Branch, Deputy Commissioner Nigel Hoppie ; Commander ‘A’ Division, Assistant Commissioner Marlon Chapman; Senior and Junior Officers and Other Ranks.
“Us at the helm, daily we will demonstrate that (leadership) for you to follow, for you to emulate, therefore we will be deliberately examining our human resources, management and we will be dealing with training and improving our infrastructure” the Commissioner noted.
The Commissioner also met with ranks of ‘A’ Division concerning various aspects of policing; he also offered pieces of advice and urged the ranks to remain professional in everything they do.
“Perform your duties with diligence, carry yourself with pride, remain steadfast, focus and be professional each day and night you report for duty; I did it, your Commander did it, other Senior Officers did it and you can do it also” – Commissioner James said.
In the area of training the Top Cop and his team will be examining the training
curriculum.
“What we have there (Training Schools) is trainees undergoing training, after a period of months they will be deployed to the various Divisions with expectations of executing professional-type work. Consider a trainee having undergone a period of training and having an engagement with someone in society who might have been exposed to higher learning and that trainee is faced with some basic questions; we would have the average trainee very soon to be in a better position to have a discourse with anyone he or she engages with, therefore we must revise our training curriculum” the Commissioner reiterated.
He noted that ranks working at the various training institutions are to be of a high caliber so that the trainees themselves can see them as leaders.
He continued by saying that “we will strengthen our training institutions and at the end of the training that product that has been deployed would be men and women who will be seen as professionals and will be conducting themselves in accordance with the Standing Orders”.
The Commissioner noted that he recalled in the past, persons would say that Training School and other departments might be a dumping ground “but let me say this, no department in the Guyana Police Force will be referred to as a dumping ground”.
“If a particular rank has committed a breach, that rank will be dealt with; if the rank’s behavior is so chronic, that issue will be addressed, he or she would not be transferred to departments and then after a while the department is referred to as a dumping ground, it will not be, we have had a rethink of it and that has changed. When there are breaches, it must be followed with sanctions from the Standing Orders” said James said.
The Top Cop said Local and Overseas training will also give ranks the opportunity to engage in the field of study they were exposed to.
“I know ranks having been trained and upon return might not have had the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt, so we have had a rethink of that and that has now changed” the Commissioner posited.
He also encouraged ranks who might not have been selected to go on courses, to make themselves eligible for such courses and said that that “I would like to see each member of the Force rigorously pursuing higher learning, after all, an educated workforce can turn around the image the Guyana Police Force currently, has”.
The Commissioner issued a stern warning for ranks not to engage in Civil Matters such as Lands and Landlord and Tenants dispute because such matters do not require police intervention and actions; those matters are for the courts.
He suggested that ranks first seek advice from their superiors, when such matters are being reported.
Commissioner James also urged all qualified ranks to write the requisite Qualifying Promotion Examinations in order to be eligible for promotion to the next rank.
He also encouraged the ranks to endeavor to function in the next senior appointment, so that when they attained that rank they will not be awkward in executing the duties of that office or rank.
In his closing he urged the ranks to remain vigilant as they have done and remain professional as they are expected.
“I would urge all of you in the division to remain vigilant as you have done, remain professional as you are expected to be, conduct yourselves in a manner that our citizens would be proud of and you must consider that our country daily is being visited by persons who would like to invest in our development so therefore we must demonstrate that professionalism when we engage with persons who come here as visitors and even to our citizens. It is not difficult” the Commissioner said.
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