The Regional Security Officer at the US embassy, Timothy Semons and his team met today with the leadership of the Guyana Police Force on ongoing collaboration between the United States and Guyana in advancing security efforts and enhancing law enforcement capabilities.

In a release this afternoon, the Guyana Police Force said the focus of the discussions cantered on technical support and capacity-building initiatives to be provided by U.S. law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). 

According to the Police, the initiatives are part of a broader effort to strengthen the Police Force’s operational capacity and bolster the nation’s crime-fighting efforts through specialized training, intelligence sharing, and technical resources.

The US and Guyana have a number of security cooperation agreements under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) and an existing Letter of Agreement to better address shared security challenges.

The meeting today also focused on those agreements and how the US law enforcement agencies can assist the local Police Force in enhancing investigative techniques, intelligence operations, and overall security infrastructure.

The commitment to mutual support was emphasized as both sides explored potential areas for increased collaboration in the future, the statement said.

There are also several new areas of U.S. engagement and partnerships under  International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) assistance to the Government of Guyana, including the commencement of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) capacity-building training program to bolster Guyana’s counternarcotics capacity; the deployment of a technical FBI team to support the Government’s ongoing efforts to enhance border security at major ports of entry throughout the country.

There is also a new US$350,000 investment in Guyana under the “Better Police Readiness Program” implemented by the Pan American Development Foundation to support the Guyana Police Force’s ongoing implementation of its 2022-2026 Strategic Management Plan.

Following the meeting today the Acting Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken expressed his appreciation for the U.S. government’s continued support of the Guyana Police Force’s mission to ensure public safety and uphold the rule of law.

The Embassy’s Regional Security Officer also reaffirmed the U.S. Embassy’s commitment to working closely with the Guyana Police Force to address common security challenges and enhance law enforcement proficiency.

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