27 Aug 2019

The involvement of communities in fighting crime through cluster policing has been hailed as key to the achievements of the Botswana Police Services.

This was said by the Minister of Justice, Defence and Security Minister, Mr Shaw Kgathi when opening the reconstructed Mahalapye Central police station on August 26.

Mr Kgathi, applauded the Mahalapye community for working with the police to curb the increasing and complex criminal acts.

“I am here to avail to you a security service centre, equipped with well-trained personnel,” he said.

He said the move to re-open the station was in response to the community’s plea after it was closed in the past pending refurbishment.

“We have kept our promise to you that the office will be re-opened to service the community,” he said.

Mr Kgathi assured the Mahalapye community that police officers were willing and determined to serve them.

He said police officers were custodians of the community and therefore must remain disciplined in their service.

“Sharing publicly issues concerning their clients is forbidden. Whoever breaks the trust the community has in our police service does not belong with us as people freely open up to you, trusting that their secrets are safe,” he said.

He encouraged the police to work closely with the community adding that people must feel secure in their presence.  

He further added that, when the police were fully doing their job, the business community would feel safe and free to grow their business undertakings in Mahalapye.

Mr Kgathi said the Mahalapye central police had a long-standing history of good performance and therefore was hopeful that the station would continue to adequately serve the community.

Despite Mahalapye being one of the problems areas, with rampant and complex crime acts, Mr Kgathi said the police officers that were over the years stationed at the old Mahalapye police office had, without doubt, served diligently.

Even though a new police station was opened in Mahalapye in 2012, Mr Kgathi said reopening the old one was a worthy development given that Mahalapye was among the fastest-growing localities with a high population density.

“Funds permitting, we are also planning to refurbish and reopen the old police station at Kanye to provide adequate services to be at par with criminal acts,” he said.

Mr Kgathi indicated that stock theft was one of the rampant criminal acts in Mahalapye.

“I have to confirm before you, that through, Kgomo Khumo operations we have managed to break stock theft syndicates that were troubling the community. We are determined to deal with cattle thieves and deal with them thoroughly,” he said.

Mr Kgathi also applauded outgoing members of Parliament, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso and Mr Joseph Molefe of Mahalapye East and West respectively for fighting tooth and nail to ensure that the police station was reconstructed. Ends