OP-ED: Police administration should be a little more caring

By Editor

Let me start off by saying this without any water in my mouth.

“The Guyana Police Force should pay MUCH MORE attention and respect to and for the welfare of it’s junior ranks especially constables, Lance Corporals, Corporals and sergeants since these are the ‘frontliners’ who account for 90 percent of the force operations, plain and straight and the issue of defective gears and tools of their trade is something that needs urgent attention”

When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, the next of kin receives a one million Guyana dollar compensation (that’s the last known figure) from the police Force; some may say the government.

However the reality is this; that money will never be sufficient to compensate wives, mothers, fathers, siblings or children and moreover for the loss of a loved one and moreover, it will never bring them back, they are gone for good.

It is for that reason that the force and by extension the government, must put systems in place to ensure the lives of our servicemen and women especially within the police force are preserved.

Coming down the Soesdyke Linden Highway last evening, a lone police was standing in-front of the Highway Base carrying out his duty.

Among the observations I made were the fact that his reflective vest was poorly visible; by that I mean the glow that it gives off when a light hits it, was almost no longer there, there were no reflective cones on the roadway, the wand traffic control baton he had in his hand at the time seems to have outlived it’s usefulness as that too was barely visible.

To crown it all off, a light to the front of the compound which could have beamed a bit onto the roadway in front of the outpost is not even present. (If my memory serves me correct, I think there was once a light there many moons ago).

What we had there last night was a policeman exposed to all the elements while carrying out duties in a manner extremely dangerous to himself and that ought not to be.

I would like to urge the administration of the force to immediately remedy these deficiencies so that our policemen and women can at least reduce the risks to their own life and limb.

I would suggest that a light be erected closest to the front fence of the police base there so that in the event of a police operation, the ranks can been seen by approaching vehicles.

The light I am sure will also alert drivers that they are approaching the police outpost because what obtains now is this; you are only aware that you have reached that police outpost when passing directly in front of it, thanks to the little light affixed to the facade of the building. (Some of the suggestions I made above, seems to be working well at the Weldaad Police Station on the West Coast Berbice.)

Outside of that however, ranks and subordinate officers, it is in your interests also to bring those above you up to speed with defective gears and tools of your trade.

I think we can safely conclude that working with defective gears and equipment reduces efficiencies and if the force is to be effectively serving and protecting, then efficiency is critical.

WHAT I SAW LAST NIGHT REALLY AFFECTED ME.