Police Force withdraws support from Police Wives Association

The Guyana Police Force on Monday announced that it has withdrawn its support from the Police Wives Association over several concerns about the way the Association has been operating.

Members of the Association have complained about being locked out the building at the Police Mess Hall, but in a statement, the Guyana Police Force sought to explain that the Association is currently made up of persons who are not wives or widows of past or present police officers a d has not called elections for office bearers in keeping with its constitution.

According to the release, a review was carried out on the Executive Committee of the Association and “the review found that the Executive Committee of the Police Wives’ Association consisted of persons among whom were not the wives of serving, retired or deceased members of the Police Force, with the exception of a Police Sergeant who is the Treasurer, and another who is the wife of a serving officer”

It added that “it should be noted that there are persons on the Executive Committee who are not members of the Force nor the wives of serving, retired or deceased members of the Force, and ought not to have been members of the Police Wives’ Association in the first place, and therefore their presence on the Executive Committee is in breach of the Constitution”.

The Police Force said following the demitting of Office by former Commissioner Mr. Leroy Brumell, DSM, there were some issues regarding the Patron and Ex-Officio Officer of the Association. “These issues have caused the Guyana Police Force to review its participation with the Police Wives’ Association”, the release said.

The Police Force accused the Wives Association of failing to contribute meaningfully to the Force. “In contemporary times, the Association has not contributed anything tangible with regards to the Police Day Care Centre nor the serving husbands within the Police Force”, the statement noted.

The Police Force said with regards to elections being called for the executive of the association, “through the most Senior Female Officer, attempted to encourage the Executive Body to hold an Annual General Meeting under the Constitution that provides for the election of Office Bearers”.

“The Executive Body initially agreed, but thereafter bluntly refused and from all indications the ensuing communications smacked of disrespect for the Senior Female Police Officer and other female members of the Force who were engaged in the discussions”, the Police Force said.

But there are reports that the Police Force wanted women police officers to vote in the elections of the Association and the executive objected to that, pointing out that while women officers are allowed to join the association, they are not allowed any voting rights.