This is one of the recommendations proposed by the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) when Co-Chairman Mike McCormack testified before the Disciplined Forces Commission (DFC) yesterday.

The DFC was set up by the National Assembly to review the operations of the Disciplined Services. It will give priority to its investigation of the Police Force and is to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Assembly.

Justice of Appeal Ian Chang chairs the Commission, while former Attorney General Charles Ramson SC, former National Security Adviser, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, attorney-at-law, Anil Nandlall and Irish human rights activist, Maggie Beirne are the other members.

In its submissions to the commission, the human rights body has proposed sweeping reforms which it says will transform the GPF “into a multi-ethnic, community-oriented service committed to reduce criminal offending and protecting rights of all citizens.”

The reforms are to address the force’s mission, its structure, its composition and strategies for policing. Under these trouble areas, specific considerations like human rights, victims’ rights, accountability, recruitment and training, criminal investigations, the use of force and community policing were identified to be in need of revision.

McCormack told the commission that the structure of the force was a relic of the colonial era, in which it was used as a militia for political repression. The focus on preserving order before any other consideration has rendered the force impotent as a crime- fighting body and left it virtually alienated from society.

McCormack said the re-orientation and ensuing decentralisation would be a vehicle for dialogue between the police and wider society, since this would be necessary to effect changes. This dialogue might produce changes which could make the force more appealing to the right people; changes which could benefit policing in the detection and prevention of crime; and changes which could reverse he force’s alienation from the community. The latter points were highlighted as reasons for the force’s failure in the campaign in Buxton.

One of the factors for this alienation has been police brutality and killings which have plagued the Force over the years.

McCormack reiterated the need for stringent rules to control the use of excessive force, which according to the GHRA’s Report on Fatal Shootings (1980-2001), has seen the number of civilians killed by police in recent years increase to more than the norm over the past twenty years.

McCormack blamed legislation governing the use of deadly force as one of the primary causes of this trend, pointing out that “they are indefensibly broad” circumstances where policemen can shoot.

According to Article 138 of the Constitution, policemen can use deadly force for the defence of people and property, to effect an arrest or prevent the escape of a prisoner and to stop the commission of a crime.

The law, McCormack suggested, often protects the police, who have little accountability, save to the Commissioner and the Minister of Home Affairs. McCormack proposed the creation of an Oversight Board responsible for designing strategies to improve policing and the force as a solution, noting its success in other countries, including Ireland.

It is envisaged that Board, made up of representatives of political interest groups, the police and civil society, would develop policies and mechanisms to equip the GPF to perform its functions more effectively and professionally. An independent unit to investigate complaints of corruption and abuse by individual members or the entire Force is also proposed to complement the functions of the Board.

Chang asked him however to consider whether the creation of the Board would sever the Minister’s responsibility over the Force.

McCormack conceded this but added that the minister would still have ultimate responsibility and that his power in certain areas, particularly those relating to National Security, would be retained.

However, society must support the reform or it would not work, McCormack argued, blaming the tolerance of the Guyanese society for encouraging the culture of violence in the force. He said that this culture was not exclusive to policing in Guyana, but pointed out that various forms of violence, political, racial, domestic or even corporal were condoned and might contribute to the cultural apathy.

“We can’t expect the police not to be the only people who don’t use violence...”