HICKEN TAKES OVER A’ DIVISION; GRANGER EXPRESSES WORRY
Controversial Senior Superintendent of Police, Clifton Hicken has been appointed as the new Commander of A’ Division which covers the largest Police district and the most populated part of the country. Hicken was the Commander of E&F Division which covers Linden during the Linden protests when the police shot and killed three protesters.
Hicken was named by a number of the eyewitnesses as one of the Police officers firing live shots at the protesters during that 2012 protest in the mining town.
In a release on Monday, the Guyana Police Force announced that Hicken who served in a number of other Divisions will immediately take over as the A’ Division Commander. He replaces the retired Assistant Police Commissioner George Vyphuis.
Leader of the Opposition David Granger told News Source that he is very concerned about the promotion of Hicken to manage the A Division. He said the Linden Commission of Inquiry made several recommendations after finding that the Police were responsible for the gunning down of the Linden protesters , but the Police Force has failed to act on the Commission’s report.
The Police Force also announced the appointment of Senior Superintendent Leslie James as the new Crime Chief and Head of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Police Force.