CRIME CHIEF, Leon Trim, yesterday said the Police were lacking intelligence on organised crime involving the growing smuggling of aliens, narcotics, arms and ammunition.
He said this has prevented arrests of "fast moving" suspects who often flee from the country and while the Police are partially on top of the situation, there is need for a "lot more improvement."
Trim, who holds the title of Assistant Commissioner, Law Enforcement, was testifying before the Disciplined Forces Commission conducting a public investigation into the Police, Army, Prison and Fire Services.
At the afternoon hearing at the Supreme Court Law Library in Georgetown, he said organised crime involves a continuous sequence of events and any one can have implications on the entire criminal empire. This can attract reaction and retaliation.
"Therefore, organised crime has to be dealt with in a profound, organised way," Trim told the Commission, reporting that the Police are either not yet competent or sufficiently empowered to deal with the situation.
"We need more training," he said, explaining that ranks need to be retained to deal with armed incidents at all levels.
Trim pointed to the critical need for a fully equipped training facility outside of Georgetown for 'mock' exercises, which will build the confidence and capability of the Police.
The Police also require equipment, an upgraded lab and fingerprint technology, the lack of which affects stronger criminal investigation.
Arms and ammunition are being transported coming across the country's borders, the Commission heard, to be used by drug traffickers to protect their businesses. "They are Siamese twins...arms and ammunition go hand in hand with drugs", Trim said.
Police intelligence reveal hard drugs are not manufactured in Guyana, but imported from Colombia across this country's borders with Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname for transshipment into North America and the Caribbean.
A small quantity remains here for consumption and is converted into 'crack' cocaine for such purpose.
Trim said the drug trade and smuggling of illegal immigrants to the United States spawned kidnappings and money laundering.
Asked whether the Police managed to prosecute any of the 'big fishes' involved, he said "with our limited resources, we are trying...we know a few of the big fishes."
And commenting on the violent crime wave after the escape of five notorious criminals from jail in February, 2002, Trim said the high-powered weapons used posed problems for the Police.
The Force was also confronted with the slaying of its members, 21 of whom were killed, and Trim said this was in an apparent destabilisation effort.
Some 176 murders have been reported for this year and Trim said there has been a 49 per cent rate of 'clearing up' with suspects being charged, convicted or killed.
Overall, the Police have registered a 15 per cent decrease in violent crime since the escape. "At this stage, we are on top...we have control of the crime situation," Trim told the Commission.
The body pointed to public concerns about 'phantom' enforcement gangs operating outside the authority of the Police Force, but Trim said the Police were not aware if criminals were slain by such groups or their associates.