Police, NYPD in historic MoU
Police Service” and a host of upcoming trainings to address new empathetic cultures of policing.
According to a release from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Benn said that the “information gathering and systems we have in place are still trailing behind the level at which we need to deal with these challenges. This new partnership with the NYPD will be significant and will leapfrog us to certain stages in terms of where we need to get to deal with multi-faceted issues of crime fighting”.
He added: “The issues that we experience are issues at higher levels which are experienced in other countries. Particularly with the NYPD, with crime-fighting challenges and their successes in New York, [the partnership] would be advantageous for us to learn from their experiences”.
The Minister closed with a statement on the unwavering support of President Irfaan Ali to this endeavour and the importance of better policing in advancing Guyana’s economy and the safety of its citizens.
National Security Advisor to President Ali, Gerald Gouveia in a statement to Stabroek News lauded the opportunity to the GPF for first hand mentorship and transformational leadership from the NYPD. Gouveia believes the members of the GPF who visit the NYPD Training Facility will greatly benefit from seeing community policing underway within the NYPD’s designated policing zone, which is also home to many forming part of the Guyana diaspora.
Theriot, First Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Police Department , Tania Kinsella, who is of Guyanese heritage; and the visiting team from the NYPD, were given a guided tour of the Guyana Police Force Academy, located in Eve Leary, Georgetown.
Throughout the tour, Kinsella and the team had interactions with a variety of trainees and staff members at the Academy, including the gym instructors and cooks, a release from the police said.
Kinsella encouraged the recruits to understand public safety and “be proud of who you are, and do good deeds because the world will reward you for your good deeds”. Her motivational talk with the recruits served as an inspiration to them to be good policemen and women.
This endeavour is being funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The visiting delegation is set to meet with the Mayor of Georgetown, several Ministers and members of civil society organizations.