Police willing to help security firms with large cash transfers
Stabroek News
June 7, 2003
The police say they are willing to help with the training of private security personnel and to provide backup assistance when needed for transporting large quantities of cash.
This is according to Maurice Amres, President (ag) of the Guyana Association of Private Security Organisations and CEO of GEB Security Service following a meeting of representatives of over 18 private security firms with Police Commissioner (ag) Floyd McDonald on Wednesday. The police chief summoned the firms to a meeting following last week’s bank heist, which involved three members of Securicor, a subsidiary of the United Kingdom conglomerate, Securicor International.
A release from the Police Public Relations Office said, “Several issues were discussed, among them were the tightening of security procedures in relation to the care, custody and transporting of large amounts of cash and valuables; the screening and employment of personnel; training, by the police, for the respective security services personnel; confidentiality of security operations; the minimisation of risks; and the standard operating procedures in relation to escorts.”
Amres said that following the meeting, the association would form a subcommittee based on the Commissioner’s recommendations and develop a standard for large cash transports.
Last Thursday, three security officers attached to Securicor told the police that they were waylaid en route to Georgetown while transporting around $43M in an armoured van. The three guards, as well as five other persons, were charged with stealing the money and weapons in their possession and have been remanded to jail.
“It is anticipated that from the cordial discussion, the security services will come up with a unified stand in relation to operational procedures and the improvement of services to clients,” the police said.
Those present were representatives from: John Fernandes Ltd., Laparkan, MMC, Advance Security, ISS, Securicor, Brans, Correia, Banks DIH, Guyoil, Instant Security, GBTI, DDL, RK’s, Guysuco, GEB, the Bank of Guyana, and PGS. Members of the Commissioner’s management team included Deputy Commissioner (ag) Winston Felix, Crime Chief Leon Trim, Assistant Com-missioner (Admin) Henry Greene, Assistant Commissioner (Special Constabulary) J. Austin and the Commander of `A’ Division. (Kim Lucas)
