Dear Editor,
The recent arrest involving members of the Mohamed family has ignited deep public unease and legitimate questions about the current direction of law enforcement in Guyana. For the first time in living memory, a police operation reportedly involved fully masked officers, dressed in unmarked attire, and armed with assault weapons, with absolutely no visible insignia or identifying markings. This abrupt departure from traditional police practice raises serious questions about legality, accountability, and public trust.
The Guyana Police Force has always operated under the principle that law enforcement must be both lawful and visibly legitimate. When officers hide their faces and remove all identifying symbols, they also remove the public’s assurance that justice is being served under the rule of law. There appears to be no statute or standing order authorizing such methods. If there is, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the GPF owe the nation a clear and immediate explanation.
What informed this new operational tactic? Who authorized it? Under what Standard Operating Procedure were these masked officers deployed? If this is a new method, was it sanctioned by Cabinet or introduced through internal GPF policy? The public deserves to know under what legal or constitutional authority this form of policing is being carried out. Without such clarity, this action stands as a troubling precedent that could easily be abused, and worse still, imitated by criminals posing as law enforcement officers.
Once citizens cannot distinguish real police from armed impostors, the safety of everyone is placed at grave risk. This blurring of identity does not only undermine confidence in the Police Force but also endangers lawful officers in future operations. Criminals can exploit this new imagery to execute robberies, kidnappings, or extrajudicial acts while claiming to be part of a “special” unit.
Public safety and the rule of law depend on mutual trust. That trust cannot exist when officers appear more like masked militants than peace officers sworn to uphold justice. This is not only a matter of procedure—it is a matter of national principle. Law enforcement must never operate behind masks of secrecy.
I therefore call on the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of Police to immediately clarify the legal framework governing this masked operation. If this was an internal judgment lapse, it must be swiftly corrected. If sanctioned, it must be explained to the nation. The citizens of Guyana have a right to transparency and assurance that policing remains accountable to the people it serves.
All law-abiding citizens must now insist, firmly but respectfully, that law enforcement remain visible, accountable, and guided by legal authority. Our silence on such actions only paves the road to normalized lawlessness. Let us speak up now—before this dangerous precedent becomes standard practice.