HGP Nightly News – Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken has delivered a blunt warning to his Sergeants: stop taking bribes, and start charging the people who offer them.
Addressing the opening of the 2026 Police Sergeants’ Conference, Hicken described the ranks as “ambassadors” of the Guyana Police Force, charged with upholding its values at all times. But his message went far beyond general encouragement.
“If you become corrupt, it is because there is a giver and you are the receiver,” Hicken told the assembled officers. “As of today, stop receiving. And persons must be charged when they come to bribe the police. I am making myself very clear, or else other things will happen.”
The warning reframes the fight against corruption as a two-sided battle. For too long, the focus has been solely on the officer who takes the bribe. Hicken made clear that going forward, the person offering the bribe should also face consequences.
The Commissioner acknowledged that while the force continues to make positive strides, much more work lies ahead. Compliance, even among Peace Officers, remains a challenge.
One imminent test will be the enforcement of tint regulations, set to take effect at the end of this month. Hicken urged Sergeants to “get in line” and ensure consistent application of the rules.
He placed the Sergeants firmly within the force’s broader modernization push. At the recent Inspectors’ Conference, he noted, the message was that inspectors translate strategy into structure and supervision. Sergeants, he said, have a different but equally critical role: “You translate that supervision into action. You are the frontline leaders of this noble organization.”
Hicken also emphasized the importance of basic equipment and procedure. Sergeants must ensure their body cameras and taser guns are in their possession at all times, in line with Standard Operating Procedures. These tools are not optional extras; they are essential to modern policing.
A major shift is also coming to how the force records crime. Within the next two months, a new digital reporting system will be implemented. Reports will be filed via computer and tracked through an integrated system. “No more papers,” Hicken said. “Those are gone days.”
The Commissioner mandated that any station where a Sergeant is in charge must establish a Community Policing desk. And he made clear that future promotions will be based strictly on merit, following proper evaluation of each rank’s performance.
