Granger stresses importance of community policing in fight against crime

As the Guyana Police Force (GPF) opens its annual Officers’ Conference to review its performance over the past year and to discuss action plans for 2016, President David Granger has touted community policing as an ideal mechanism in the fight against crime and violence.

Delivering the feature address at Police Officers’ Annual Conference on Thursday at the Police Officers’ Mess Annex, Eve Leary, he stated that in order to win the war against crime and violence, focus will have to be placed on the causes of these societal scourges.

The Head of State added that these scourges can be addressed at the community level. One this note, President Granger urged that the Police Force intensify its partnership with communities through community policing.

“The basic idea is that there must be a bond of mutual trust between the Police and the public. Community policing establishes partnerships and these partnerships emphasise problem solving and they place emphasis on public safety and public service with the aim of improving the quality of life (of citizens),” he outlined.

The President added too that correctly conceived and competently conducted, it would require a “sea change” in the way things are presently being done.

He noted that there is a temptation among police officers to be preoccupied with prosecutions and punishment, rather than the prevention of crime and the protection of citizens.

The Head of State added there needs to be a system where residents are secured in the absence of police stations, noting that this can be done via community policing. He said too that his Administration is committed in lending whatever support is needed to assist the Police in this regard.

Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, in his remark stated that while 2015 was a challenging year, it also saw the Force making a number of successful strides. He provided a review of the Force’s performance last year.

“(The President’s) Five-point strategy and Operation Dragnet have positively impacted crime and traffic controls. Criminal Investigations Department (CID) operations in the latter half of last year coupled with our Social Crime Prevention Programme, in particular, have served to reduced fear of crime in Guyana,” Persaud stated.

Among the plans for 2016, the Police Commissioner detailed, are the ‘Street Cameras Programme’, heightened Information Technology support, enhanced use of video analysis technology and continued infrastructural work on the Integrated Crime Information System (ICIS).

The three-day conference is being held under the theme “Consolidating on partnership programmes, enhanced public trust and capacity building to provide effective security”. It will culminate on Saturday evening with a dinner party.