11 Apr 2021

Botswana Police Service (BPS) has introduced a training workshop for police officers at Botswana Police College and other selected sites to equip police officers with strategic ways of dealing with Gender Based Violence (GBV) cases.

Public relations officer for Botswana Police Service, Assistant Commissioner Dipheko Motube said in an interview that the complex nature of GBV- related cases had forced BPS to change its approach.

“We have realised that identification of elements of GBV is very critical and must be done with high level of sensitivity and utmost care, hence the introduction of training workshops,” he said.

Mr Motube highlighted that the training workshop runs for five days and they have qualified trained police officers who are instructors at Botswana Police College and are qualified to teach all laws and procedures including that of GBV.

All police officers, according to Assistant Commissioner Motube are eligible to attend training to strengthen their capacity in handling GBV-related matters.

He also noted that basic police training had provision for information on all policing matters including GBV.

Furthermore, Assistant Commissioner Motube revealed that BPS would, in future, consider incorporating GBV training into the police college pre and in-service training curriculum so that all police officers are trained before being posted.

For his part, Superintendent Edward Leposo of Tatitown Police Station confirmed that his station had officers equipped with the necessary skills set to attend to GBV matters.

Francistown Central Police Station commander, Superintendent Lebalang Maniki said such trained officers ably attended to victims of GBV and gave them due counselling.

Gender based violence- related matters, according to Superintendent Maniki, needed to be handled by focal persons due to their sensitive nature.

He, however, expressed concern that efforts by the police were foiled by some victims whom he said had a tendency to withdraw cases of GBV after reporting them.

He encouraged the public to allow the law to take its cause until finalisation of the cases. 

He also said that victims should not be worried about perpetrators as the police would provide them with security. Ends