The practice by some police ranks to reach out to the community and local businesses for donations, is an approach that is “fraught with the unintended potential for bribery and corruption to occur,” according to the security sector reform report.

The report, a section of which was seen by Stabroek News, acknowledged that the police appear to struggle balancing resources against priorities but frowned upon the practice of seeking outside financial help despite its “laudable intentions.” The report was handed over to President David Granger on January 18th this year by British expert Lt Col (rtd) Russell Combe. It has not been made public.

According to the report, the review of police divisional boundaries in order to align them with the boundaries of the administrative regions, is a good “police initiative.”

It said that despite several challenges, there are positive aspects to the Guyana Police Force’s commitment to meet these, and obvious efforts to improve policing methods and culture. “The Police, however, are hampered by an inertia to make any significant reform themselves. It seems that chronic underfunding, poor forward planning and low standards, has created a debilitating effect on Police morale and culture and, as an example, is sapping the ability to tackle serious drugs crime,” the document said.

It was pointed out that while resources are certainly scarce, there are areas of capability that are well short of the standard required, with no doctrine, policy or plans for the output, and a weak finance and budget policy. This, it was pointed out, reflects a lack of management and leadership, which must be improved to make progress.

Notwithstanding, it noted that within the police divisions, there is evidence of successful attempts to make policing work and good community engagement programmes are underway, as many have been for some time.

Meanwhile, the report noted that the Force’s public image has been damaged by media reports – some of which it labelled sensational – even as it noted that a better-led, organised and equipped Force will enjoy public support.

“The Commission of Inquiry into the alleged assassination plot widely covered in the media, with some salacious reporting, was damaging to the police’s image and also to morale,” according to the report.

The CoI, conducted by retired Assistant Commissioner Paul Slowe, now Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), was set up to investigate the allegation made by complainant Andriff Gillard, who claimed that he was offered $7 million by businessman Nizam Khan to kill President Granger, as well as the Force’s handling of the probe. Although the inquiry found that the allegations made by Gillard were “unsubstantiated,” and as a result “tenuous,” it was also concluded that the police’s handling of the probe was unsatisfactory.

The security report said that the damage was exacerbated by the PSC controversy, regular allegations of poor behaviour amongst the senior and junior ranks being reported in the press, and the dismissal by the PSC of charges against a number of police officers, recommended by the Police Complaints Authority.

The latter issue, the security report said, can only be viewed as a “dysfunction of the very institutions entrusted to protect the Police from favouritism or nepotism, and so engender public confidence, but which has failed to do so.”

It was pointed out that the subsequent decision to halt further promotions by the PSC was clearly “necessary”, although it also attracted adverse reporting when challenged in court.

Meanwhile, the document informed that the policy for promotion, career structures and personal development for officers within the police is apparently unrecorded. “Amongst the one hundred and five Standing Orders for the Police, there is no reference to manning, promotion or career management requirements,” it said.

Further, the reported added, while the role of the PSC with regards to gazetted officers is enshrined in the Constitution, the current methodology of the Commission, as already highlighted, “casts a shadow over the perception of fairness and appropriateness of many promotions, many against the recommendation of the Commissioner of Police.”

Members of a new PSC have since been sworn in.

The report said that there should be no place for a policy or process whereby the recommendations of the Police Com-missioner are ignored, and officers who were not recommended, are promoted, often without being qualified or of the relevant seniority.

Dookie

In making reference to police disciplinary procedures, the report mentions the incident involving ex-Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit head, Deputy Superintendent Motie Dookie.

It was noted that delays to disciplinary procedures against gazetted police officers, widely reported in the media and even generating anonymous letters from junior ranks earlier in 2017, is “bad for the public image of the Police.”

According to the report, the particularly damaging incident reported in the media about “a senior officer apparently caught red-handed for smuggling whisky shows this malaise is seemingly pervasive.” It added that the “reticence” to immediately suspend the officer because of a perception that this could only be authorised by the PSC, was “damaging and likely erroneous.”

Dookie was travelling in a minibus along the Whim Public Road, Corentyne, on December 30th, last year, when it was stopped by a police anti-crime patrol and 30 cases of whisky were found aboard. The SWAT head was accused of smuggling the whiskey but was spared of criminal charges after the bus driver took full responsibility.

However, he was relieved of his duties as Commander and temporarily transferred to the Force’s Strategic Planning Unit to facilitate an internal investigation. In a surprise move, he was subsequently posted to ‘A’ Division but reassigned to Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, a few days later. He was then sent on special leave.

Dookie challenged that decision and last month, the court ruled in his favour.

The report called for an urgent review of the constitutional role of the PSC and the relationship with the leadership of the Police and the Police Complaints Authority. It was pointed out that the dismissal of 31 officers from the Force in 2017, when compared with 26 the previous year, and pronouncements that rogue cops will be rooted out, is encouraging. However, it was suggested that a policy for a Code of Conduct, and for Values and Standards training is necessary. “I would expect this educational requirement, to be considered as part of the review of Police training scheduled for 2018,” the report said.