09 Mar 2020

For Botswana Police Service (BPS) to attain their mandate of making Botswana a safe and secure place, the community’s involvement is fundamental.

Giving a key-note address during the No. 15 District Crime Prevention Conference held in Francistown recently, Deputy Divisional Commander North, Assistant Commissioner Tamapo Nthoiwa said the dream of safe country would be far-fetched without the participation, contribution and complete involvement of the community.

Quoting the setswana adage ‘Sekukuni se bonwa ke sebataladi’ Mr Nthoiwa said nobody could commit crime without being seen by at least one person.

The Assistant Commissioner said the organisation like other countries had adopted a policing strategy centred on community policing.

Mr Nthoiwa cited that in the American context, in 1967, the then President of the United States of America launched a commission to enquire as to why there was so much hostility and distrust between the police and the community.

He said the report entitled The President Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice stated that the police must work hand in hand with the community in order to build a bridge between the two.

Assistant Commissioner said in Botswana, it was not until 1984 that the then Botswana Police Force fully incorporated the ideology through the crime prevention committees dubbed Twantsho Borukuthi.

He said that the concept then gave birth to the National Crime Prevention Coordination Unit that was tasked to coordinate all crime prevention initiatives at national level.

He further stated that the unit was tasked with promoting awareness, monitoring and evaluation of crime prevention activities, crime audit, public education and advising the senior management on promoting the uttermost participation of the community in crime prevention.

Mr Nthoiwa noted that eventually the BPS mission statement was born to further cement the relationship with the public.

He said that this being a consultative forum, it was for BPS to interrogate, appreciate and augment the BPS on the ground strategies and see how best they could be developed in line with time and technological advances.

“Needless to say, the modern criminal is sophisticated, mobile and generally informed hence BPS need to systematically advise themselves accordingly in order to continue with its pledge of a safe and secure Botswana,” he said.

He cited that the concept of community policing recognised all government departments, private sector, businesses and non-government entities as stakeholders in the war against crime.

He extended his invitation to the vulnerable groups like all youth (from primary to secondary) giving particular audience to the girlchild who has been lately exposed to all forms of abuse, sexual and exploitation.

He urged all to work together to fight road carnage, stock theft, gender based violence, white collar crime and many other manifestations of crime.

For his part, No. 15 District Crime Prevention Chairperson Mr Shanganani Phambuka said the purpose of the conference was to introspect how far they had gone in the past 12 years of crime prevention.

He said that crime was evolving because of the use technology and internet hence they wanted to evaluate their business.

Mr Phambuka said the police were working with the community as they were continuously losing properties and money due to the use of technology.

“Crime is everywhere, such as in offices, homes, churches and other places where there is money laundering.”

No. 15 District Administration Officer Mr Philip Lopang urged all to introspect. He said the essence of the gathering was to come up with strategies to combat crime. ENDS