Gya: Police mustn't be criminal

The police cannot overcome dangerous criminals by waving a white flag at them neither can they descend to their level, Police Commissioner Winston Felix told the force's annual officers conference yesterday.

In the backdrop of several years of crime-inspired tumult and allegations of extra-judicial killings by law enforcers, Felix said that the police's rules make provision for varying levels of force which they will adhere to and at no point will they make up the rules as they go along.

To this end, Felix requested assistance from the United Kingdom for training to better equip the force to cope with confrontations involving the threat and use of firearms. He also signalled his intention for the force to be described as the Guyana Police Service instead of the Guyana Police Force, a shift which observers say has much significance.