Fewer complaints of police indiscipline- Police Commissioner

Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 July 2018, 12:10 by Denis Chabrol

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has recorded a steady decline in complaints against members of that civilian law enforcement agency over the past two years, Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine said Wednesday.

“A preliminary analysis suggests that improved and increased supervision, swift and condign action by the 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 said

He told an award ceremony that there were 394 complaints between July 2016 and June 2017 and 283  between July 2017 and June 2018. Additionally, for the first six months of 2018, compared to 2017, there was 50 percent reduction in complaints with 146 compared to 280  for the first six months of 2017.

Ramnarine said the complaints generally have to do with neglect of duty, police harassment, assault, wrongful arrest, corrupt practices, sexual harassment and fraudulent conversion- all showing substantial decreases, nonetheless, except the offence ‘acts in a manner likely to bring discredit on the force’ showing an increase of 30 percent with 56 against 39 over the last two years.

The Guyana Police Force is currently undergoing a review of its training systems under the auspices of the British-funded Security Sector Reform Programme.

Meanwhile, a Guyanese police force officer is continuing to pursue a five year degree in forensic science in Russia. Several other Guyanese police officers have been shortlisted to pursue that and other programmes of study, but the final decision rests with Russian authorities.