While admitting that there are rogue elements in the Guyana Police Force, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ravindradat Budhram, has indicated that steps are being taken to rid the Force of those bad elements.
Appearing on the Government-produced programme “Safeguarding Our Nation” this morning, Deputy Commissioner Budram said allegations should be reported against corrupt Police Officers. He said action will be taken against them.
“While there are some rogue elements within the force, the majority of our officers are good officers and they are here to serve the public. For this reason, we take this issue very seriously. We have done training in integrity and monitoring at all levels. If there is an allegation of misconduct, our Office of Professional Responsibility would investigate. And after advising the sort, action will be taken”, the Deputy Commissioner of Police said.
The Guyana Police Force has been dogged by corruption over the years, from reports of bribe payments, to fraud and even the disappearance of evidence during active investigations. While the Force has repeatedly indicated a no-nonsense approach to tackling the problem, it often finds itself facing the same accusations as new reports surface. Deputy Commissioner Budram said the work is ongoing to build a professional Police Force.
“There are some incidents recently on the East Bank where a policeman was arrested with narcotics. There was also one recently on the East Coast where a policeman was arrested with a firearm, illegal firearm. Those matters are presently before the Court. At no time at all will the Force tolerate misconduct and turn a blind eye on them. Additionally, our main focus and aim is to have a zero tolerance on misconduct in offices. We are working to build a professional Force”, Budram noted.
He said training is essential to building that professional Police Force, and ranks from across the Force are currently being exposed to more training at the local and international levels. He also stated that the Force is working to improve its methods of policing, especially in the interior regions and those far flung communities, as it seeks to build public trust.
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