raining of members of the Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT) team by a United States (US) company is expected to begin later this month, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee announced on Friday.
The Home Affairs Minister said an organisational needs assessment for the unit has been completed while actual training would begin in mid-January. Rohee said the unit would “confront special types of violent crimes.”
Deputy Police Commissioner, Seelall Persaud told Demwave that 25 members including the Officer-in-Charge would make up the SWAT team.
Delivering a progress report on the security sector under the theme “Citizens at the Centre of our Safety and Security Strategy, he said the Washington DC- headquartered The Emergence Group (TEG) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) would be conducting the training of SWAT members. Government is spending US$796,987 to hire TEG to train SWAT team.
Among those listening to the report were heads of the police force, prison service and the defence force as well as top American and European diplomats.
Rohee also announced that steps are being taken to boost the air and maritime wings of the Guyana Police Force. He said several patrols boats have been purchased and the aeronautical engineers have been identified for training.
excerpts from demwaves
