Police to get pepper spray, taser guns following beating of officers

Last Updated on Wednesday, 12 March 2025, 21:36 by Writer

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn on Wednesday said members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), would be issued with pepper spray and tasers to defend themselves against members of the public who attempt to beat them.

“I don’t want policemen and policewomen being beaten on the road. I said to the police chief that the police on the beat – they mist have pepper spray, they must have a baton and they must have taser.

“If we go to other jurisdictions, that is what a policeman on the beat has. We want to measure up with other places, they must have that on the beat. We have to work on this quickly,” he told the opening of the Inspectors and Sergeants Conference.

His announcement, which was greeted with applause, came almost two days after a video surfaced of two civilians beating two policemen on Camp Street in the vicinity of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA). The policemen were viciously assaulted after one of the lawmen grabbed one of the civilian’s cellular phone because he was recording him. Referring to that incident, Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken recommended that police exhibit wisdom in determining when to act or listen and balance enforcement with compassion. “Risk assessment is your policy…When you go out there, you do a threat assessment and you call to the operation room. Don’t wait until they start fighting and things get out of hand and then you’re begging for help,” Mr Hicken said.

The minister defended the public’s right to record police on duty, adding that members of the police force were also being equipped with body cameras as part of a system of accountability. “The police was wrong to pull out the cell phone. I keep telling the police, I keep telling everyone: The public has a right to video police behaviour. You can’t tell people they can’t video or tape you,” he said.

The Home Affairs Minister stressed that he did not want police being disrespected. ‘Those who are provided for peace and development, can’t be beaten on the road. We can’t continue to be disrespected,” Mr Benn said. He said there was a complete breakdown in law and order if police were beaten.