Department's Officer
The Communication Branch “Moving Forward through Technology”
By: Odellis Dos Santos, Woman Lance Corporal 22035 and Avinidra Rajballi, Police Constable 24625
The Communication Branch of the Guyana Police Force can be considered as one of the most important departments within the organization, as it has the responsibility for installations, servicing, and repairs of all communications and electrical equipment throughout the Force.
The Branch is divided into four sections; the Radio Workshop, Telephone, the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and the Electrical section, which are all vital to the day to day functions and comfort of members of the Force. The sections are all staffed with competent ranks who are trained in every aspect of the section they are attached to. This section of the Force operates on a 24-hour basis with technicians on call to deal with any emergencies.
Radio Workshop
The radio workshop is responsible for the upkeep of all Radio handsets and Radio Network Communications through Divisions ‘A’ to ‘G’ including Headquarters and is also tasked with the installations and repairs of all sirens on Force vehicles and provide technical support for the 911 system as well.
Telephone Section
This section is responsible for the maintenance of all Telephone handsets owned by the Force; thus ensuring that members of the Force are able to communicate by telephones when a radio transmission is not necessary.
Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Section
This section is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of all Air Conditioning Units and Refrigerators owned by the Force.
The Electrical section
Ranks of this section are responsible for the installations and servicing of all electrical equipment in all Force buildings throughout the Divisions.
Chief Inspector Linden Mickle is In-charge of overlooking the four sections while the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration section is managed by Sergeant 20289 Ceon Mingo and the Electrical section by Sergeant 17318 Cecil Ross, respectively.
The Communication Branch was under the command of Assistant Commissioner Edgar Thomas who has been with the Branch since 1988 and became head of the Branch in 2009 and is now headed by Superintendent Roger Martin and consists of 1 Chief Inspector, 1 Inspector, 7 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 2 Lance Corporals and 12 Constables.
With the Department headquartered at Eve Leary, there is also a branch established in ‘B’ Division (Berbice) and while there is no physical structure that houses the department there, it is functional and staffed by two ranks who are stationed at Central Police Station. The Branch is also supported by ranks from Headquarters who on a daily basis are required to travel to the different Divisions to perform duties at various stations.
This Branch of the Force, which in previous years formed part of the Traffic and Transport Department, was re-organized in 1956 and placed under the command of a Senior Superintendent in charge of ‘B’ Department now known as ‘Operations’ at Headquarters and undertook all installations, servicing and repairs of the Force’s wireless and electrical equipment formerly carried out by the Post Office’s Telecommunications Department.
During its formative years, the Branch was reliant upon private personnel to operate the Very High Frequency (V.H.F) Radio equipment but as early as 1957, members of the Branch were trained technically both locally at the Government Technical Institute and as well as overseas.