The Government through the Ministry of Home Affairs this morning passed amendments to the Police Act, that will now allow the Guyana Police Force to now use “less-lethal weapons such as water cannon, tasers, baton, kinetic impact, and projectiles.
Dubbed the Police Amendment Bill 2021, the Bill was introduced to National Assembly by Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn.
With the need to reduce confrontation that may lead to serious injuries and possible death, the Bill will now pave the way for the use of several other weapons.
“We identify that we want to avoid situations in which the engagement moves from simply an engagement, or a scuffle because we have seen many instances– they have been on Facebook and other places– where persons have taken to resort to a scuffle and even fight with the police in resisting arrest.
“Unfortunately some instances may escalate to what is described as lethal force. We want to avoid that; we want to avoid the resort to having to go to the use of firearms.
“We want to be able to go through a staged response in respect to the use of force,” Minister Benn explained.
Coming under the Police Act, Chapter, 16:01, the minister said the amendments will include a variety of methods in which the force can now stop any confrontation from arising that will lead to anyone being seriously injured or even shot dead.
In the past, the Guyana Police Force in some situations resorted to the use of a gunshot wound to the leg of a suspect.
However, the force will now have the use of nightsticks, batons, and clubs, chemical irritants, conducted electrical weapons, kinetic impact projectiles, and water cannons.
This Minister Benn noted this is nothing new to the modern world of fighting crime and as such, several new tactics have to come into play to ensure that the force stays ahead of the situation.
“They are not unique to policing in any other place in the world, advanced countries of course and even in the CARICOM regions. I think the resort to the use of these will go a long way in reducing the friction the tension between the police and persons, who may engage with the police,” Minister Benn further noted.
The amendments were supported by the opposition, who said that there will come the move by the Government but stressed that even with the advancements ranks also must brush up on their skills and as such, the law must not be rushed.
“There must be the highest level of training of all members of the Guyana Police Force before the wide use of Tasers is implemented.
“Additionally, the irresponsible use of chemical irritants has also inflicted permanent damage to people globally. This must be taken into consideration when seeking to refer to those items as non-lethal weapons,” Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, Opposition Member Geeta Chandan- Edmond insisted.
Ms. Edmond additionally noted that such much be highlighted knowing how troubled the force was in the past in terms of handling tense situations.
