Government has full confidence in Police Force's crime fight -Harmon

The Guyana Police Force is coming in for praise from both citizens and the Government for its dismantling of criminal gangs.

Last evening, three armed bandits were shot dead by the Police during a more than one-hour armed confrontation on Norton Street in the city. It is suspected that the three were linked to other criminal events in the city.

Two weeks ago, three other bandits were shot dead in the Berbice region and a large quantity of gun and ammunition were recovered from that scene. The three in Berbice had been fingered in several robberies and murders that had been haunting the Berbice region.

At a press conference today, the Government’s chief spokesman and Director General at the Ministry of the Presidency, Joe Harmon, told reporters that the Government believes the Police Force is being led well as it tackles the country’s crime problem.

Mr. Harmon said “I think the Guyana Police Force is now better led. It is a better cadre of Senior Officers, a better cadre of Intelligence Officers who are now ensuring that Police Operations are intelligence-led and intelligence driven. The gangs which use to operate, it is the intelligence which is provided to the Police that has allowed them to confront gangs”.

He added that the Government remains confident in the efforts of the Police Force to arrest the crime situation in the country and deal with serious criminals when they emerge.

Over the past months, the Guyana Police Force has reported that while there have been an increase in some cases of criminal activity, the overall figure for crime has decreased.

That decrease may not be enough comfort for the US Embassy in Georgetown, which recently reissued its travel advisory to US citizens warning them about Guyana’s crime situation.