- Senior cop on leave as probe continues into cash deposit
Due to suspicions of financial misconduct by Deputy Commissioner (ag) Calvin Brutus, the senior leadership team has requested immediate annualised vacation leave to allow an inquiry.
Clifton Hicken, Commissioner of Police, issued this licence according to procedure. Brutus was one of three senior Guyana Police Force officers rotated last week to improve efficiency.
The GPF also says this shake-up is vital for force modernization. However, some media and social media reported that the GPF’s top brass was shaken up to facilitate a SOCU investigation into financial irregularities by the Administrative Office, which was previously led by Brutus.
SOCU investigators reportedly seized various documents to aid the inquiry. After the allegations, the Police Commissioner said, “Relative to several social media posts and online news reports about a ‘shake-up’ in the top brass of the Guyana Police Force, please note that the rotation of officers is a management tool that creates and fosters efficiency in an organisation
Please note that the Police Commissioner and another senior officer were not sent home as part of an ongoing SOCU probe, as stated in a social media post by an overseas Guyanese. This report is sham.”
It was announced last week that Deputy Commissioner ‘Administration’ Calvin Brutus will head the Special Branch and Deputy Commissioner ‘Operations’ Ravindradat Budhram will lead ‘Administration’.
Also, Assistant Commissioner Errol Watts, the Special Branch Head, would take over operational duties from Brutus.
The GPF’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026 aims to modernise the law enforcement organisation by developing its human resources and other capacities.
Officers must have the correct mentality and mindset to implement the strategic plan, according to Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn.
While modern policing interventions may benefit from information technology and training, they are ineffective without real assets, vehicles, and skilled management.Nothing counts if the middle level’s purpose, willingness, activity, and direction don’t integrate with the bottom’s security actions.
