Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who have found themselves involved in vehicular accidents, whether in their personal vehicles or in the Force’s vehicles, were at the receiving end of a verbal bashing by acting Police Commissioner David Ramnarine.
Addressing senior and junior ranks as well as stakeholders at the Force’s 179th Anniversary Awards Ceremony on Wednesday morning, Ramnarine reminded members of the Force that road regulations are applicable to all road users, while admonishing those ranks who have been involved in vehicular accidents.
He pointed out that from July 2016 to June 2017, eighteen members of the Force were involved in various category of accidents while driving GPF vehicles. This compares to an increase of 23 ranks involved in accidents during the period July 2017 to June 2018.
“A total of 41 ranks, including seven subordinate officers and 34 constables [were fingered in these accidents]. Add this to another 18 ranks over the two years’ period being involved in various accidents while driving private vehicles. The occurrences cannot be ones that we are satisfied with. We have taken an oath, we are here in uniforms, we have higher learning and training; and therefore we must conduct ourselves a lot better than we do,” the acting top cop asserted.
According to Ramnarine, those ranks who fail to better conduct themselves on the roadways will face the same fate as those who have been made to pay over G$2.3 million for damaging the Force’s vehicle thus far this year.
“They are being made to repay for the costs of those damages. Some 10 ranks have already completed payment, and the others have some more time to pay. That is the position we have to enforce,” Ramnarine posited.
The acting Top Cop is accordingly urging ranks to be more responsible on the roadways while executing their duties.
“We have permitted [speeding] in only emergency situations and in situations where, for example, you’re fired upon and there is great danger to public safety if you don’t take a certain course of action. But in normal circumstances — for instance following a motor cycle without a number plate; the motorcyclist got away, you didn’t get the motorcycle, but you end up slamming into a civilian vehicle, damaging beyond repair a Police vehicle; and for what? For a minor offence? Please use your judgement, or you will have to pay as others have started to pay. This is the position,” he outlined.
Further, Ramnarine went on to say that the Force will no longer tolerate such reprehensible and disrespectful behaviour from ranks who continue to breach road rules and traffic regulations.
“We cannot move forward in the same way… Of course the leadership of the Force has not feigned or neglected to take condign action, but the reality of this prior unacceptable situation is that, at this juncture of our 179th anniversary, let us assure that there is significant positive improvement and set the example by good private and public conduct regarding the use of the road and adherence to the regulations that are attached,” the acting Top Cop encouraged.
Complaints down
Even as Ramnarine reprimanded ranks for their conduct on the roadways, he revealed that general complaints against members of the Police Force have significantly declined over the last two years. In fact, he said, there was a 39.5 per cent decrease in complaints against ranks over the past year when compared to the previous corresponding period.
“There were 394 complaints between July 2016 and June 2017; and between July 2017 and June 2018, we have 283 complaints. Additionally, for the first half of this year, against that of last year, we record a 50 per cent decrease in complaints with 140 complaints this year for the first six months, against 280 for the first six months last year,” the acting Police Commissioner disclosed.
The nature of the complaints that have been reduced against members of the Force include neglect of duty, Police harassment, assaults, wrongful arrests, corrupt practices, sexual harassment, and fraudulent conversion.
According to the Ramnarine, the decline in complaints has been found to be as a result of a number of factors.
“A preliminary analysis suggests that improved and increased supervision, swift and condign action by senior leadership of the Force, severe punishment, support through speedy and timely legal advice, and some degree of reluctance on the part of complainants are the main reasons for this significant decline in complaints,” he stated.
However, while these complaints have declined, the offence of ‘Acts in a manner likely to bring discredit on the reputation of the Force’ has shown an increase of 30 per cent, with a total of 56 complaints against 39 over the two-year comparable period.
Nevertheless, the acting Police Commissioner posited that various efforts are afoot to build much needed professionalism as well as capacity and capability within the country’s premier law enforcement agency.
These include consistent training under various local and overseas-sponsored initiatives, such as the Canada-funded Justice Education Society (JES) programme, as well as ongoing efforts under the Security Sector Reform Project (SSRP), being executed by the British Government. (Vahnu Manikchand)
