Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira, today said that Government has taken steps and is making efforts to weed out corrupt Police officers, and those officers who violate the rights of citizens, from the Guyana Police Force.

During Guyana’s appearance before the United Nations Human Rights Committee this morning for its periodic report for a second consecutive day, the question of police abuses was raised.

The Committee also raised the issue of extra-judicial killings by members of the Guyana Police Force.

“We remain concerned by the persistence of excessive of force by the Police and the security services, including extra-judicial killings. For example, on May 15, 2021, Peter Headley was fatally shot by a Policeman while being driven to the Police Station, in May, 2023, Dhanraj Singh was shot and killed in Ruimveldt while the Police were responding to a reported domestic violence incident and in June 2023, Quindon Bacchus was shot and killed during what the Police claimed was a sting operation. The Committee has also not received updates on investigations into allegations of extra-judicial killings that took place between 2002 and 2006 as requested in the list of issues”, UN Human Rights Committee member, Laurence Helfer stated.

In response, Ms. Teixeira said steps have already been taken to professionalize the Police Force.

“The question was asked about the killing of the Quindon Bacchus killing, the Police officer was arrested and charged, he has also been dismissed from the Guyana Police Force. Steps shown that he was not acting in accordance with police practice and protocols., the prosecution is ongoing on the officer.

In addition, Ms. Teixeria told the Committee that citizens who are aggrieved by Police conduct can approach the Courts for justice, stating that the Courts of Guyana are open and accessible to persons who feel they have been wrongfully dealt with by the Police.

“In 2021, thirteen police officers were charged, in 2022 fourteen were charged and in 2023, six were charged. So, there are efforts, although these figures may look small to you but in terms of what happened before this is improvement in the number of police who are held accountable,” Teixeira told the Committee.

In addition, the Committee heard that twenty-six police officers have been charged and are before the Courts for inter-personal violence with their partners or ex-partners.

The Guyana Police Force has been coming in for harsh criticism for the way in which it has been handling certain matters.

In the last week, the Police Force has been at the centre of attention after Police Sergeant was shot dead by another rank during an operation.

The Police also reported an incident last week in which a car being driven by a Police Sergeant came under gunfire from five Police Officers who claimed they mistook the car for one linked to a crime.

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