As the Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues to embark on efforts aimed at increasing its crime-fighting capacity, 143 new recruits on Tuesday graduated from six different courses and have commenced their journey as law enforcement officers.
The ceremony, hosted at the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) Square at Eve Leary, Georgetown, also celebrated 40 ranks becoming new officers.
The training, which began on January 11, 2017, exposed the young recruits to a life-altering experience which have transformed them from regular civilians into enforcers of the law. The courses comprised academic, practical and extra-curricular components to best prepare the recruits for a life of service.
During the five-month period, the trainees were exposed to high-level English Language, Communications and other classes, capacity-building courses such as anger management, and sports.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony on Tuesday was the Force’s Training Officer, Paul Williams, who congratulated the new ranks and urged them to be good ambassadors of the training colleges and the Guyana Police Force.
The acting Commissioner indicated the 143 recruits were subjected to comprehensive training. “They would’ve been exposed to almost 18 weeks of training. They would’ve learnt about the Constitution, laws of Guyana, standing orders, duties, procedures and best practices that would aid them to give a service to the citizens, visitors and the entire nation at large.”
Delivering the feature address at the graduation ceremony was Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud, who pointed out the journey undertaken by this new batch of officers was much different from the one he embarked on many years ago.
Seelall pointed out, “The Police Force that we are embarking on now is one that is service oriented, where decision-making has been decentralised right down to frontline levels, one that is accountable not only collectively but individually.”
With that, he explained that the new recruits would be deployed to stations within various communities across the country and now held the responsibility of accounting for their individual accomplishments as crime-fighting agents.
“I urge you to utilise the training that you have had and to make your fullest contribution wherever you will be deployed,” the Police Commissioner said as he encouraged the new officers to fulfil their duties to the best of their potential.
At the graduation ceremony, 21 officers received special recognition and accolades for their accomplishments throughout the training programmes. The best student, runner-up and most improved were awarded with trophies for each of the six recruit courses as well as the conversion course.
The graduation ceremony concluded with a Passing-Out Parade as the new recruits and newly-converted officers saluted senior ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
The 143 trainees and 40 new officers will now undergo a probation period after which they will be officially welcomed as ranks of the Guyana Police Force.
