More police outposts should have been established instead of this 12-storey station

The recent announcement of a 12-storey building for the new police station seems overly ambitious and may not serve the people of Guyana in its intended purpose. As a nation we have struggled to have sufficient police presence in the villages and communities. Some of the funds being used to build the 12-storey headquarters would better serve our nation by establishing more police outposts in every region with a focus on the upcoming towns and larger villages. There is also a need for a greater police presence on the road to better control the traffic and prevent crime. An air-conditioned 12-storey building will not encourage ranks to be out in the hot sun on the street and in the communities where their service is needed.

If we were to look at the current condition of the police outposts in places across the country we will see that they need fixing up and are also short of the resources needed for effective crime fighting. Many police outposts do not even have the facilities to house the stray animals that are on the roads. The idea which the President is promoting is a great one for cities that are large and the development of the community patrols have advanced to the stage where they have multiple around the clock patrol cars and motorcycle patrols. Guyana is not yet at this stage of development. The recent donations to the police force received from the Chinese Government have been poorly maintained and many items have been destroyed due to poor handling. It is important that we first support the police force with the fundamentals needed before reaching for 12 storeys.

Policing in its intended manner starts with building trust in the communities being served and this is accomplished by building relationships with the members of the community. The best method to achieve this is by increased presence and engagement within the community. Something which a well-run and maintained police outpost can accomplish. Current and new housing developments should each have a police outpost, a fire station and a health clinic in a complex where they are housed together. Having this strategically placed for full coverage of our villages, towns and cities would be money better spent and can serve as a precursor to a large centralized police force in Region 4.

CRG does agree that the police force requires a new station of this type, but a more modest one should be its beginning. Let’s build a foundation that will allow for growth, but we should first see a clear and sustainable reduction in crime, improved road safety, and better

maintenance of what is currently in place before bringing the force’s headquarters to a level befitting that of a major metropolis. Even the Los Angeles Police Department, which is one of the largest and most equipped police forces in the world (the 3rd largest municipal police department in the US) has a headquarters with only 10 floors, close to 13,000 officers and staff members, and an annual budget of over US$3B (references: lapdonline.org and the Los Angeles Times). Let’s first look at what is needed by our officers at each location across the country and give our hardworking police officers the facilities and tools they need to better serve their communities before reaching for the sky at Brickdam.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jamil Changlee

Chairman

The Cooperative Republicans of Guyana