BY SVETLANA MARSHALL
Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell on Monday allayed the fears of citizens that the soon-to-be-established Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit will not be another Black Clothes squad, a disbanded unit that degraded the image of the Guyana Police Force.
Brumell gave the assurance moments after taking the oath of office as the substantive police commissioner, more than a year after taking over from the late Henry Greene who was sank in a controversy.
Brumell explained that specially identified ranks of the Guyana Police Force are being recruited through a vigorous process. “I can assure you that my Deputy Commissioner of Law Enforcement Seelall Persaud is one of the persons taking them through the process. We want to ensure that we get the right type of persons.”
SWAT unit
The announcement of the SWAT unit was made last week by Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, who said then that such a unit was mooted since the beginning of the millennium when crimes became qualitatively different from what had prevailed when the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the GPF would have been formulated.
It is envisaged that with a SWAT unit, the force would be more equipped to make specialised interventions, thereby ensuring law and order is maintained and prospective threats are neutralised.
Rohee had said too that the Home Affairs Ministry has engaged the services of The Emergence Group (TEG), a Washington-based consultancy firm, to obtain the requisite assistance in this initiative.
He further disclosed that the process will commence shortly with an organisational needs assessment to be done by experts from the consultancy firm. According to him, curriculum development and training, including mentoring, will also be undertaken by the consultancy firm.
Crime reduction
Meanwhile, with his confirmation as police commissioner, Brumell said he will be putting major emphasis on reducing the prevalence of crime in the country. “Today, I recommit to the citizens living within our borders that I, Leroy Brumell, will do all in my power with consultations with key stakeholders to serve and protect and to take back our streets and communities from criminals.”
Simultaneously, with internal and external support, Brumell has also committed to the much needed modernisation of the Guyana Police Force.
Though it has been a long, hard road, Brumell said today he has no regrets. In his quest to raise the standards of the Guyana Police Force and offer greater security, he said he would require the support of all.
“To my many critics of the force, we can never please everyone, but I will use the criticisms in a constructive way to assist the force in becoming a better institution.”
Meanwhile, President Ramotar, in his congratulatory remarks, said it was always his intention to confirm Brumell as the police commissioner after Henry Greene had demitted office in 2012.
As time elapsed, Brumell performed satisfactorily, Ramotar said, noting that the force has grown under his supervision.
