“When police roles are unclear, accountability suffers, public trust weakens, and citizens may not know who is responsible for decisions made inside the force“.
By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News
Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Slowe has weighed in on recent comments by Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken regarding the role of police ranks carrying out duties outside of their specific assignments.
The issue follows a recent incident involving a junior police rank reportedly performing anti-crime duties who stopped a vehicle with allegedly obscured licence plates. According to the account discussed by Slowe, the driver allegedly contacted a senior police official in an apparent attempt to prevent the junior rank from enforcing the law.
Speaking on his podcast, Speaking Out — Exposing Corruption, Slowe said the incident raised serious questions about police procedure, command responsibility, and the proper use of authority within the Guyana Police Force.
Slowe said that while there were reports of a corporal taking the phone during the incident, that action should not have occurred. However, he maintained that the central issue is whether a police officer in uniform has the lawful authority to act when an offence is observed.
According to Slowe, if the Commissioner of Police wants officers to strictly remain within their assigned duties, then such instructions must be properly documented through standing orders or published force orders.
He warned that unclear instructions could create confusion among ranks and discourage officers from intervening when they witness possible offences outside of their assigned area of responsibility.
Slowe argued that any attempt to restrict officers from acting without a clear and lawful written directive could result in operational uncertainty and weaken law enforcement.
He was sharply critical of the Commissioner’s recent remarks, saying the approach taken to address alleged corruption on the roads is troubling. Slowe said that while efforts to tackle corruption are necessary, the response must be grounded in law, proper procedure, and established police regulations.
The former senior police officer said any directive requiring strict compliance must first be formalized.
He explained that if the Commissioner wishes to issue a binding instruction to the Force, it should be made through a standing order or published in the official force orders. Only then, he argued, would it amount to a lawful order that ranks are expected to follow.
Slowe also contended that such an instruction may still come into conflict with the law if it seeks to prevent sworn police officers from exercising powers granted to them once they are appointed.
He said the law allows police officers in uniform to stop a driver where an offence has been committed or where there is reasonable suspicion to act.
According to Slowe, the broader concern appears to be the number of credible complaints about some traffic stops allegedly being conducted for corrupt purposes, including claims that motorists are stopped to be shaken down.
However, he maintained that addressing those allegations requires proper supervision, investigation, and discipline, rather than statements or directives that may create uncertainty among police ranks.
Slowe said the matter points to the need for clearer command guidance inside the Guyana Police Force, especially where the duties of anti-crime ranks, traffic ranks, and general-duty officers overlap.
The issue has now placed renewed attention on police accountability, internal discipline, and the importance of clear written procedures to guide officers in the execution of their duties.
