Police, DPP Chambers processing crime files electronically

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

The Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Guyana Police Force are processing crime-files electronically, according to the DPP Shalimar Ali-Hack.

“We are moving towards having E-files. E-files means that all of the files that the police compiles during the course of their investigations will be typewritten and then will be all compiled into a document and it can move from the Guyana Police Force straight over to the DPP’s Chambers,” she said.

Addressing the handing over of the third Zara Computer Training Centre to the Guyana Police Force, she said the E-files system was part of the Justice Sector Reform Programme.

After giving advice, she said the file would be returned to the police force via an Internet and Intranet system.

Ali said that already the police and DPP Chambers were processing Sexual Offences reports and cases electronically. “From the Sexual Offences cases, I can see us moving towards other offences such as murder,” she said.

The DPP welcomed the Zara Computer Training Centre, saying it would help with use, maintenance and repair of equipment.
 
The New York-based Zara Group said the three centres- the last one having been handed over on Saturday- would lay the groundwork for the Guyana Police Force to combat computer-related crimes and train persons in computer use, repair and programming.

The third Zara Computer Training Centre-located at the Police Officers’ Training Centre, Eve Leary- was formally opened.

Information Technology (IT) Consultant to the Zara Group, Mardeo Singh stressed that the police force must embrace change because time and crime have changed due to the Internet- an interconnected network of computers.

“You cannot have the criminals working smart, not hard but the police working hard, not smart and you figure out who is going to win the battle on crime,” he said.

Singh predicted that “all the big robberies would be a thing of the past” when credit cards become Guyana’s preferred means of financial transactions.

The IT expert urged authorities to encourage Guyanese to venture out into the writing of source coding, saying “that’s when we are going to be an integral part of the global village and that’s when we are going to be able to export IT as a service.”

He announced that Zara Group would next year roll out computer repair and maintenance classes so that members of the police force can “market right away.” Next they would move on to study networking and computer security including cybercrime and cyber laws.

Deputy Police Commissioner (Law Enforcement), Seelall Persaud explained that the Zara Computer Centres’ thrust of producing computer engineers meant that civilians are being also afforded free training. That, he said, fits in with its programme to build community relations. “It is in keeping with our policy on community engagement and really fits in,” he said.

To date GUY$60 million have been spent on establishing one computer lab in each county.

Seelall said the Zara Centres also fit in with the Police Force’s ongoing implementation of a Integrated Crime Information System among police stations that monitors crime trends and effectiveness of operations.. Plans are also in train to establish an Electronic Documentation Management System that will allow the sharing of personnel management files by divisional commanders for planning and decision-making. “Our operations are moving and more to being IT-led and it puts a demand on us to be proficient in use of technology.