Latest update May 16th, 2024 12:59 AM
Dec 20, 2016 Letters
Dear Editor,
Why has the police force not filled the four vacant deputy commissioners’ positions? There are vacancies for Deputy Commissioners Administration, Operations, Law Enforcement, and Special Branch. The vacancies have been there since the last government was in power.
No other appointment has been made since Leroy Brummel and Seelall Persaud were appointed deputy commissioners. They both became commissioners and the vacancies have not been filled. Is it that the shoulders of the present assistant commissioners in the Force are not broad and strong enough to accommodate the badges of rank of deputy commissioners?
Is the barrel empty? Will we see retired brigadiers and army colonels taking up those appointments? Will we have International Police Officers (IPO) from the United Kingdom and Canada filling those vacancies as was done in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Caribbean islands?
Even if the vacancies are filled will there be consequential promotions? Will those promotions be backdated? If the massive road blocks established between Seelall and Ramnarine are not surmountable will we have a retired brigadier or army colonel heading the Force as was the case in Jamaica?
Flashback! Renowned law enforcement expert, Norman Mc Lean as a serving member of the GPF was appointed Chief of Staff of the GDF. He did an excellent job and retired as a Major General.
Assistant Commissioners of police Cecil Kilkenny and Welton Trotz served well as Directors of Prisons. Could things be done in the reverse? Would we have an abolition of office in accordance with the Constitution as was done in 1985 by President Desmond Hoyte? Was Ramnarine given a basket to fetch water? Is he a blue flame officer? In this modern age of policing why the police are not progressively moving towards e-governance? Is technophobia at work?
Of all the skills a manager/ leader/ supervisor needs to be effective, skill in communicating is the most vital. Communication is a critical part of policing. Research has shown that 93 percent of police work is one-on-one communication. Estimates vary, but all studies emphasize the importance of communication in every day law enforcement operations.
One-and-one, face-to-face, and eyeball-to-eyeball communication between the number one and two men in the Force and perhaps with some other senior officers is something of the past. The communication is predominantly written. Commissioner Laurie Lewis used to say papers don’t talk. Another Top Cop Winston Felix who disagreed with Laurie Lewis on numerous major matters also believed that papers don’t talk.
The other channels of communication are completely blocked or are at a mere trickle. Nowicki (2002) notes, “The process of effective interpersonal communications is much more than just words. The ability to pick up on the nonverbal components of interpersonal communications demonstrates much more than words. The old adage, ‘It’s not what you say, but how you say it’ is absolutely true. “
The ability to effectively communicate with people is a sine-qua-non for law enforcement officers. Fulton (2000) contends; “Communication at all levels is an inexact art. But misunderstood communications can have consequences in the life and death world of police work.
“He further argues that lack of communication is often an obstacle to correcting problems. Without effective communication people do not know what is expected of them or how well they are doing. Officers and their subordinates may not be able to agree on the quality of service they provide. Equipment needs may not be revealed. Animosity may fester. Cliques will emerge.
The consequences of not communicating well include low morale, increase disputes, reduced work quality and quantity and sometimes even lawsuits. This may be applicable to the current situation in the Force. According to Scoville, (2009) “Communications are more critical to police operations than guns and ammo.”
Dark clouds are hovering over the Police Headquarters. Some are moving towards the divisions. Certainly, they are not rain clouds. However, behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining. The clouds will soon roll by. The words of Commissioner Lloyd Barker keep wringing in my ears, “Commissioners will come and commissioners will go but the Guyana Police Force goes on forever.” May God bless the Guyana Police Force.
Clinton Conway
Assistant Commissioner of Police
(retired)
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