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Police Force shouldn’t be castigated for wrong doings of a few - Police Commissioner at Junior Officers’ Course
by GINA News
Posted: Nov 3, 2009 00:24 UTC
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GEORGETOWN (GINA) - Addressing them as “the boys in blue”, Commissioner of Police Henry Greene while speaking to ranks at the commencement of a Junior Officers’ Course Number 19 at the Officers Mess, Eve Leary was quick to address the issue which is in the public domain since making the news on October 31.
The Commissioner said the police force since the saga of the 14-year-old detainee has been castigated because of the actions of a few.
“All of us are being castigated because a few ranks decided that they are going to commit an act that is not proper, not right. When we do good, people forget that; all the work we do is forgotten because of two ranks, to the point where people say it’s culture to burn people,” Commissioner Greene said.
He used the occasion to empathize with the teenage victim and his family, but reaffirmed that the use of torture has never been encouraged or is permissible.
“Nowhere in our standing orders do we teach either torture nor anything like what you have seen in the press. People apparently seem to believe that this is part of the teaching of members of the force,” Commissioner Greene stated.
Reading excerpts of Standing Order 73 in the Standing Operational Procedures book of the Guyana Police Force, the Commissioner said in the area of “Care and Custody of Prisoners” Section 11 states clearly that the treatment of persons in police custody must be courteous and humane.
“Because they have been legally restrained on account of some attempts does not mean that they should receive other than courteous treatment,” the section said.
Describing the book as the “Policeman’s bible,” the Commissioner stressed on the phrases “courteous” and “humane” noting that using torture tactics cannot be a reflection of these two words.
“We don’t teach that but sometimes in your anxiety to get things done, to solve a murder or a heinous crime, some of these ranks go overboard. They go beyond what they should be doing… we do not condone those things in the Guyana Police Force,” Commissioner Greene said.
The perpetrators have been arrested and he assured that they will be dealt with accordingly despite the fact that there is a big task ahead to build the evidence and place the guilty party before the court.
The Commissioner however expressed concern about support from the victim and the family who are the key sources in the investigation. In the past he said some of these persons blatantly refused to help in the investigation.
“Many times when we try to get the same prisoner to give a statement they say ‘Sir I don’t want action’. When you go to the family is the same thing… That is what is responsible sometimes for you not seeing more ranks being placed before the court for excessive use of force on prisoners because many times the prisoners, families and witnesses all back down and we have no evidence,” Commissioner Greene said.
About 25 Junior Police Officers today commenced the course which has management and supervision high on the agenda. The Commissioner took the time to commend the University of Guyana’s Distance/Adult and Continuing Education for mainstreaming the module of the programme.
The programme runs for one month and was designed specifically to assist police officers to understand the importance of management and supervision, which the Commissioner said is not a privilege in other courses offered.
During the course the ranks will be engaged in lectures, discussions, individual group work audio and video presentations on topics such as leadership skills, management, the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), research techniques, human rights, domestic violence, legal issues for commanders, conflict management and presentation skills.
Some of the ranks at the Junior Officers' Course.
At the end the participants are expected to improve performance, leadership, good human behaviour techniques, appreciation of their roles in the legal framework, use of English and if applicable prepare them for senior positions in the force.
“When you are here at the Junior Officers’ Course you get the real taste, which you would have not gotten as a student of the University or any other tertiary institution of what management is all about, and it’s for you to take it further than that. It’s for you to develop that thrust that would make you pick up a book and read and expand your knowledge and understanding,” Commissioner Greene said.
He issued a special appeal for the officers not to take the management course lightly, but use it as an opportunity to grasp as much knowledge as possible and elevate themselves further in academia.
More importantly, the Commissioner said the course presents a good opportunity for the ranks of the force to understand the principles of professionalism and timeliness and leadership. In this regard he urged them to make full use of the resources available to them such as the computer laboratory.
Early next year the senior officers’ course will be held and Commissioner Greene expressed the hope that it will be successful through partnership with other agencies.
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