Dear Editor,

Following a tip off on Tuesday that the five prison escapees and wanted murderers were in the vicinity of Yarrowkabra, Linden highway, a party of policemen from the Anti Crime Unit proceeded to the area. They confronted the wanted bandits. Nearing 14:30 hrs during the ensuing gun battle, Superintendent Leon Fraser was fatally shot in the head, a very unhappy situation which must attract the attention of all concerned citizens.

Leon Mark Fraser was born on the 19th August 1959 at Wales Estate, West Bank Demerara, he attended Central and St. Roses High School.

He joined the Guyana Police Force on April 24th 1985, and attended the standard Military Officers Course sponsored by the Guyana Defence Force on September 14th 1978, for a period of one year. He was promoted to Cadet Officer on September 12, 1986, Assistant Superintendent on September 1, 1987, Deputy Superintendent on March 01, 1992 and Superintendent on January 01 1999.

Superintendent Fraser spent most of his time at CID in Linden and Headquarters Eve Leary, and sometime at the Police Mounted Branch. He was a member of the Guyana National Rifle Association, and participated in several tournaments including the Benson and Hedges Caribbean Championship that was held in Trinidad and Tobago from September 11-22, 1997.

At a Press Conference the Commissioner of Police said that the police were and still are combing the entire area in search of the wanted, heavily armed, murderers. He noted that the Force has intensified its activities, paying critical attention to likely escape routes. Superintendent Fraser is the last in a long line of policemen killed in the course of duty.

The most critical support for the police at this time is public confidence, cooperation and support to its effort not only to apprehend the escapees but to fulfil its mandate to enforce the laws which govern our society. The police cannot do it alone. This is the reason why some few days ago the commissioner dispatched letters to all media houses asking for cooperation and is in the process of drawing up a schedule of meetings with interested organisations, groups and agencies to foster a necessary spirit and mood of cooperation. Every stakeholder must become involved by promoting good and expelling the evil which has bedeviled our society.