Police must learn from Burroughs

THE EDITOR: The harmonious and peaceful nation, for which we have unremittingly toiled, seems to be degenerating into a wreckage with the passing of each day. Criminals are holding sway. No one is entirely immune from their attacks. Today it is a friend or associate, tomorrow you could become the victim. No one is safe. People are becoming prisoners in their own homes.

Our security forces, which have vowed to protect and serve, are doing their utmost to restore safety and maintain accord — but to little avail. The ominous cloud looming over the country is growing rapidly. We must not despair, but should place our hope in the Police and support them completely. They need our help. It is the inherent duty of every citizen to do as much as possible to save our nation from civil war. I respectfully and decisively propose that we look to history for some answers. We are a young nation and our historical past is relatively short. Coming to mind immediately is the hero of yesterday — the late Randolph Burroughs. We must endeavour to learn from his modus operandi and his techniques in controlling the lawbreakers. I have little notion of his style, but I am fully aware of his overwhelming success. He had very quickly mustered a gallant Flying Squad, upon which he depended very heavily. To a great extent, he placed implicit trust and confidence in his police informants and his dedicated subordinates.

Whenever a report was lodged with him about he movements of bandits, his method was to attack immediately. He generally went ahead, leaving orders for his colleagues to follow him. In other words, he led his men from the front — not from behind. These methods and practices were very effective and resulted in crime being “nipped in the bud.”  He was also primarily concerned with preventing the perpetrating of crimes before they needed to be solved. From limited knowledge regarding the relationship between Commissioner Burroughs and his loyal staff, it seemed as though trust and reliance were mutual qualities which ostensibly dictated their effective performance. History has been, to all nations, the guide and the wisdom in acquiring the solutions to desperate problems. We must also remember that a man in his efforts will be a failure unless he obtains the guidance and blessing of the Almighty. Jesus said, “Seek and ye shall find, knock and it will be opened.” Mr Burroughs has not told us how to do the job, but in many instances he has shown us the way to deal with culprits. May God bless our nation and deliver us from the clutches of kidnappers and may another hero be found.

SALER AMEERALI
Eleanore Street
Chaguanas