Police moving to cripple operations of Child Gang in Mocha

Residents of Barnwell North who have been victims of a child gang of recent 

A number of initiatives are being put in place immediately and others incrementally by the Guyana Police Force specifically Division-4B as it seeks disable the operations of what seems to be a child gang which has been operating in the community of Barnwell North, Mocha, East Bank Demerara.

A gathering in the community as they listen to Commander Simon address their security concerns

The issue of the gang and other concerns were first raised publicly with Minister of Youth Affairs Simona Broomes when she visited the community on Saturday.

After BIG Smith Crime Watch reported carried an article on the meeting and the concerns raised, Commander of Division-4B, Senior Superintendent Kurleigh Simon indicated that he will be visiting the community to address their concerns. That meeting was held on Monday afternoon.

Commander Simon interacts with a football coach in Mocha on Monday

Truancy, lack of police patrol, inadequate police ranks at Mocha Outpost, females being afraid to walk at nights and inaction by police ranks to reports were among the concerns the commander heard for himself during his visit.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the commander said that he is concerned about all the issues raised and the matters would be addressed expeditiously. He however noted that of the many issues raised, he was particularly concerned about the children not attending school and the young people who are unemployed. These issues he noted does have a direct consequence to creeping illegal activities the community is experiencing.

“teenagers being involved in crime, females are afraid to walk late at nights because of the lack of police presence and inadequate ranks at the Mocha Outpost are all serious issues and we are going to address them, we are also going to establish a register with the young people living in the community who are unemployed and see how best we can have them enrolled with one of the skills training facility” Simon explained.

The commander noted that he will be engaging various organisations and entities to work along with the community in a number of areas including counselling and the rehabilitation of their ball field. The issue of children not attending school will also be raised with the Ministry of education.

One resident said that he was please the commander responded to their public cries so swiftly and expressed the hope that the promises and commitments made by the commander would be realised sooner than later.

Villager Victor Ramsey speaks with Editor of BIG Smith Crime Watch, Leroy Smith about his expectations following the Commander’s visit

Simon did note however that there are some constrains that the police have when dealing with juvenile offenders and that will have to be raised with the welfare department and the Child Care and Protection agency.

Football players who were occupying the ball field in the community on Monday were also engaged by the commander after he was told that they are in the habit of smoking on the premises which is located close the school and which has been designated a no smoking zone.

A commitment was also given to the Neighbourhood Democratic Council that a police would be present at their monthly meetings to brief them on developments and actions within the community as it relates to crime and security.

A police patrol vehicle in the community of Barnwell Monday afternoon, a rare sight for residents

This assurance was given after the council who was meeting at the time the commander visited the community, indicated that this posture was once in place and that since the removal of an officer whose name was given as Griffith, those engagements between the police and the council ceased.