Police bicycle programme intended to build Intel network

Nearly 170 bicycles were donated to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to boost the friendly policing approach in communities. This helps to build an intelligence network to receive information and stop the occurrence of crime in neighbourhoods.

The bicycles were donated by Ambassador of the United States of America, Perry Holloway, to train police officers in police cycling patrols. Assistant Commissioner of police, Clifton Hicken, stated that the initiative is to improve crime fighting in the communities and to create an atmosphere for immediate interaction with citizens, since drawing attention to available police vehicles is too difficult. 12 ranks of the Guyana police force and four City Constabularies were trained in Las Vegas Nevada in the trainer training programme which is going to help teach the remaining officers in Guyana.

The ‘A’ Division’s training of one week is over and has received 25 bicycles. The ‘C’ Division is now in training and will receive 14 bicycles. The other five divisions will be trained and allocated bicycles at a later date. Training and the allocation of bicycles are provided by the need of service in the different communities across the different divisions. Thirty bicycles were also allocated city constabulary.

The initiative has another mission– to identify vulnerable areas or crime hotspots by encouraging tag team policing in communities using the bicycles.

The Commander of the Traffic Division will determine where the patrols will be although the officers will be freelance.

This is another way to create visibility for the public to see the police officers. This is an administrative initiative and the bicycles have a maintenance policy in case of damage. The superintendent also stated that a positive outlook would be more donors since

to

the much needs to be done. He said also, that the start of Christmas policing is coming soon and would like to see this as a branch of the initiative.

He said that the officers were drilled in arresting with the bicycles and that the bicycles have protection mechanisms to protect them from harm or falling. The success of the programme is data driven and will determine the continuance of the programme from the responses.

This is going to benefit the Guyanese society by modernizing our communities and diminishing the stereotype hate for police.

(Kaieteur news)