Murder rate up by 11 percent, but armed robberies down

Apr 11, 2015 News

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Forty-two people have been murdered between January and the end of March. This is an eleven percent

increase from the same period last year, when 38 murders were recorded.
Kaieteur News’ statistics for the period between January and April of this year shows that guns were used in at least 15 of these murders, with eight of these homicides being execution-style killings. Police have only solved one of these execution-style homicides, with three suspects in the murder of Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) engineer, Trevor Abrams, expected to appear in court next week.
The Police Public Relations Department also stated that at the end of March 2015 the Force recorded a six percent increase in serious crimes in comparison to the same period in 2014. Aside from murder, the Force’s list of ‘serious crimes’ includes robbery under arms, robbery with violence, robbery with aggravation, larceny from the person, break and enter and larceny, burglary, rape, and kidnapping.
But police said that at the end of March 2015, robbery under arms had decreased by 19 percent, in comparison to the corresponding period in 2014. The statistics indicate a decrease of 24 percent in the number of armed robberies involving the use of firearms; and a seven percent decrease in armed robberies where instruments other than firearms were used.
The Police Traffic Department recorded 28 road fatalities from 19 accidents at the end of March 2015, in comparison to 28 fatalities from 26 accidents for the same period in 2014. Twelve motor vehicle passengers, ten pedestrians, five drivers and one pedal cyclist have lost their lives.
Nine of the year’s fatalities were as a result of speeding. Police recorded 105 serious accidents between

January and March this year in comparison to 63 for the same period in 2014; 122 minor accidents in comparison to 105; and 163 ‘damage’ accidents in contrast to 147 for January to March, 2014.
Traffic ranks made 15, 807 cases against errant motorists at the end of March 2015. Of this number, 6,325 cases were for speeding, 433 for driving under the influence of alcohol, 176 for using cell phones while driving and 465 for failing to wear seat belts.
To date, there has been only 1 road fatality for April 2015, compared to 3 for the same period last year.
“In continuing efforts aimed at crime prevention, the Guyana Police Force continues to forge ahead with its police-community partnership programme along with social crime prevention interventions in the Policing Divisions,” the release said.
The community projects recently conducted in “A” Division (Georgetown/East Bank Demerara) included the commissioning by the Commissioner of Police of the Agricola Community Centre Ground, which was rehabilitated by the Guyana Police Force with assistance from the corporate community; the launching of  a Police Youth Club at Hauraruni, Soesdyke/Linden Highway, during which three senior citizens were presented with food hampers; and a multi-purpose court for recreational purposes was commissioned by Divisional Commander Assistant Commissioner Clifton Hicken at Rasville, Georgetown.
In “B” Division (Berbice), the police held a fun day in the community of Bath, WCB, and along with

residents of the Savannah Park community, rehabilitated two bridges to the Savannah Park Nursery School, New Amsterdam.
In “D” Division (West Demerara/East Bank Essequibo) under their police community C-PETS Programme, the administration launched a Police Youth Club at Tuschen, EBE; and donated sports and school supplies to the” Save Our Kids Children’s Home” and the” Prabhu Sarran Children’s Home;” conducted a Health Seminar for police ranks and members of the community; and in addition, nine women were able to improve their culinary skills through a six-week attachment to the Madina’s Halaal Restaurant, De Willem, WCD, and twenty- three youths are on apprenticeship attachments with contractors in the Division in skilled areas such as welding, machinery, masonry, bond-stocking and the servicing of motor vehicles.
At Linden in “E” Division, educational talks on issues such as domestic violence and HIV/Aids were held with youths of several Police Youth Clubs including the Wisroc Youth Group, the Victory Valley Youth Group and the Blueberry Hill Youth Group. Fabric Painting Sessions

were also held with the youths.
In addition to the community projects, Divisional Commanders also held community outreach meetings in various communities within their respective Division, where they interacted with residents on issues of mutual concern.
In another crime prevention initiative, the Cops and Faith Community Network which treats juvenile first offenders for minor crimes as a preemptive intervention to the New Opportunity Corps, during last month March 2015 there was a total of nine interventions supported by the religious community.
The Cops and Faith Community Network was launched on September 12, 2013, and unto March 31, 2015, there has been a total of 144 such interventions. In all cases, the youths were counseled by the religious leaders and following the involvement of parents/guardians, and the victims where necessary, the majority of them were warned and sent away.

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