2000 more ranks needed for Guyana Police Force – Security Minister

GPFGPFGeorgetown: As the government continues to fight crime, there is need for more manpower in the disciplined forces according to Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, who noted that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) is short of 2000 persons.

Ramjattan made the revelation on Friday while addressing Executives of the Community Policing Groups (CPGs) at the Ministry of Public Security. While the force is currently possessing approximately 4,500 persons, the GPF is still 2000 short of its maximum capacity, the Minister said.

“We have been working hard to ensure that there is maximum capacity in the force, but due to varying constraints such as persons complaining of low salaries and so forth, we have been unable to do so,” he said, while emphasizing that the force will be working hard to recruit more persons.

Meanwhile, speaking recently at the accreditation of Kuwait’s non-resident Ambassador to Guyana, President David Granger had said, “there is still a lot of work to be done, as Guyana begins to win the war on crime.”

He also expressed his pleasure with the progress of the GPF.

“There are several measures; one of the most important thing that is not visible to the naked eye, is that our CID [Criminal Investigation Department] has been strengthened. Though we may not be able to prevent crimes from occurring in all those cases, we could detect those crimes and bring those people to justice very quickly. That has been one of the achievements of the Police Force over recent months,” the President said.

As such Minister Ramjattan is calling on persons to get on board and join the GPF and play a part in protecting the citizens of the country.