The Guyana Police Force on Wednesday opened its 2026 Annual Police Officers’ Conference at the Officers’ Mess Annexe, Eve Leary, with Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken and President Mohamed Irfaan Ali outlining a technology-driven reform agenda aimed at modernising policing and strengthening public trust.
Hicken told the conference that the Force is moving away from traditional approaches.
“Today’s policing is no longer defined by tradition; it is driven by technology, innovation, and leadership anchored in legitimacy and accountability,” he said.
He reported that the Force has achieved about 75 per cent implementation of its 2022–2026 Strategic Plan, describing the result as evidence that “This reflects a shift from reform as aspiration to reform as execution.”
Hicken said the introduction of SMART policing systems, body-worn cameras, upgraded CCTV networks and digital workstations has already produced measurable results. “Serious crime declined by 25 percent, with case clear-up rates approaching 60 percent,” he said.
The reform drive, however, is being launched at a time when public confidence in the police is widely viewed as not being at an all-time high. The Guyana Police Force has in recent years faced sustained public and civil-society criticism, with allegations that it has been selective in the pursuit of justice, uneven in the enforcement of the law and, in some cases, has allowed itself to be used as enforcers for politically influential and well-connected individuals—a perception that continues to shape public attitudes even as police leadership promotes modernisation.
Addressing the same conference, President Ali said modern policing must evolve alongside legislative reform, judicial efficiency, technological advancement and community partnership.
He outlined an accelerated programme to integrate artificial intelligence and digital platforms into policing, including the expansion of the e-ticketing system with a points-based demerit framework, electronic case management and e-filing, digitisation of police records, enhanced border security systems using biometric scanning and electronic immigration services, digital crime-reporting platforms, and predictive policing models supported by data analytics and AI.
Hicken said technology has already transformed road-safety enforcement. “Since launching the Safe Roads Intelligent System, we have issued more than 35,000 e-speeding tickets, marking a decisive shift toward technology-driven road safety,” he said, adding that accidents have declined by nine per cent.
Both the Commissioner and the President linked technological reform to changes in training and human-resource management.
Hicken said the Force recruited 2,214 regular ranks and 1,633 special constables, while 3,510 ranks were promoted under a revised merit-based system. He also disclosed that 1,966 scholarships and sponsorships were awarded through accredited police campuses, 26 memoranda of agreement with tertiary institutions, and international partnerships, including the Jamaica Police College and the New York Police Department.
He said leadership accountability has also been strengthened through the Junior Officers’ Course, which brought together officers from the Police Force, Fire Service and Defence Force, graduating 64 officers for higher command.
President Ali announced that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, police theoretical examinations, promotion assessments and driver’s licence theory exams will be migrated to a digital platform through the Guyana Digital School. He said artificial intelligence will assist in generating examination content and improving efficiency.
While outlining progress, Hicken acknowledged pressure created by the pace of reform.
“We must be honest, the pace of reform has placed pressure on infrastructure, especially in hinterland and riverine locations,” he said, adding that digitisation requires continuous training and that retention of ranks remains difficult due to competition from the oil and gas sector.
Ali warned that crime is becoming increasingly complex, pointing to narcotics trafficking, cyber-enabled fraud, Ponzi schemes, money laundering and other financial crimes. He urged the strengthening of legislative frameworks and greater engagement with international partners.
Hicken said the Force is also contending with emerging threats, including transnational crime, cyber-enabled fraud, financial offences, domestic violence and pressures linked to increased migration. He identified the erosion of public trust as the most serious threat to policing, stressing that trust “cannot be enforced; it must be earned” through transparency, professionalism and respectful engagement.
He reported that the Force recorded more than 46,000 community engagements in 2025, alongside expanded youth programmes, strengthened Community Policing Groups and foreign-language training.
President Ali reinforced the need for structured community policing and youth engagement, warning that failure to meaningfully involve young people could pose future security risks. He also called for national public education campaigns on domestic violence and sexual offences, early-intervention programmes in schools, technological tools to support at-risk women and vulnerable groups, and stronger collaboration among police, educators, parents and faith-based organisations.
Looking ahead, Hicken said a GY$36.2 billion allocation will support the nationwide rollout of the Safe Country Initiative, AI-enabled policing tools, digital case management, automated dispatch systems and expanded welfare services. “Central to this transition is a new strategic pillar, Innovation, Technology and Adaptability, reflecting the need for policing to evolve alongside a modern Guyana,” he said.
President Ali said serious crimes declined between 2016–2020 and 2021–2025, with reductions also recorded in robbery-related and break-and-enter offences. He said the results were supported by approximately $141 billion in security spending over six years and a proposed $31.4 billion allocation for 2026.
Closing the conference, the President said public safety must be treated as a shared national responsibility, adding: “The future is ours to build.”
