Many tried to force Brumell out the Police Force

By Leroy Smith

[www.inewsguyana.com] – April 1 will be the official last day for Leroy Brumell on the job as the country’s Top Cop.

Speaking to ranks of the Police “A” Division on March 26, Brumell made it clear that he came into the Guyana Police Force without enemies and when he leaves on Tuesday he wants to leave without enemies.

Further, he assured that today at his farewell parade he will not be embarrassing anyone or making any deliberate statements to insult anyone when he delivers his speech.

In recalling his days as a police officer, the outgoing Top Cop pointed to several transfers to various parts of the force and divisions years ago.

He also recalled being demoted for two years while he watched other ranks who were below him promoted to senior officers although he had been serving before them.

“I had bad times in the Guyana Police Force, there were those who did me all sorts of things for me to leave this work,” Brumell recalled.

However, the Top Cop assured that he was stronger than those who tried to make him leave the Force and with the encouragement and support from his wife, he was able to make it to the end.

Brumell noted that when he was in charge of the Narcotics Branch, his work caused him to step on many person’s toes. He even pointed to one case where he was out on private business when he was approached by a known character, who had dealings in the underworld. He said that the individual inform him that he [Brumell] was going to be transferred.

Brumell said he was surprised at the man’s utterance but the next week, he was transferred to Berbice.

The Top Cop who has been a member of the Guyana Police Force for more than thirty years explained that one of the most moving times for him in the Guyana Police Force was when he was sworn in as the Commissioner of Police.

He told his officers that the reason he cried that day was because he never expected to ever be confirmed as the country’s Top Cop.

Brumell told his officers that he is ensuring that he leaves a clean slate for the next man who will be taking over from him.

Meanwhile as he demits office, there are some cases which will always be remembered as the cases that occurred under the Leroy Brumell Administration.

These include the execution style killing of designer Trevor Rose for which no one has been charged, the gunning down of a man by a national cricketer who was later freed and ordered re – arrested due to lax police work, the shooting of Dameon Belgrave at the White Castle Fish shop by police officers, the shooting of a young Agricola teen by a group of police, and the most recent case where a businessman was freed (Randy Jagdeo) after the police failed to convince a civilian witness to show up for Court.