GPF working on strategies to improve community relations – Top Cop
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is currently working on a number of approaches to improve community relations, acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken stated during a webinar hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – Diaspora Unit on Tuesday.
These strategies include; having professional courses, establishing policies to attract the right people, establishing selection and quality management committees, and decentralisation of the welfare and daycare services, to improve staff support.
The commissioner said a number of training programmes were established for the ranks including in community relations, crime and criminology, general policing, and basic English, among others geared at improving the services provided by the police force.
Scholarships were also provided to the ranks that will enable them to boost operational efficiency.
“We identify the weaknesses and we develop training programmes to mitigate those weaknesses and to continue to build on the strengths that we have,” he noted.
Mr. Hicken related that a therapist has already been recruited to provide psychotherapy services for ranks.
Additionally, to provide better infrastructure and a safe environment for persons working in the force, upcoming strategic plans are geared at remodelling divisional operational rooms to function as “real-time command centres.”
The acting Top Cop noted that there will be the establishment of a Police Academy and reconstruction of the Criminal Investigation Headquarters and Tactical Service Unit.
He added that the GPF will soon be transitioning from a paper-based system to an e-document system, with electronic crime and traffic management system software.
Meanwhile, in terms of security, he said Guyana’s general crime rate is manageable since “the security apparatus demonstrates preparedness and operational efficiency to respond to and provide public safety.”
He assured citizens that the force will be proactive in deterring national security treats through partnerships with businesses, communities and international law enforcement agencies.