City Police have an eye on crime

THE WINDHOEK City Police are keeping a close eye on crime and traffic in the city.
Major concerns include burglaries, a drinking culture that leads to assault, and bad drivers.

Chief Abraham Kanime, who is at the helm of implementing modern police tactics in the force, said yesterday that the habits of drivers in Windhoek need ‘serious attention’. In addition, criminal activities, such as property-related crimes, domestic violence, assault and theft remain issues of concern.In the first two weeks of June, the City Police responded to 68 reported robberies, 122 household robberies, 236 cases of theft. The number of reported assaults, a crime that is often not reported, numbered 33 in the first week of June, and 42 in week two.The City Police chief said he is concerned about Namibia’s culture of drinking, which is the main cause of assault.Moreover, traffic, and particularly road behaviour, is a problem Kanime and his officers are concerned with.Close to 300 crashes took place in the city in the first two weeks of June – 152 in week one and 143 in week two.Moreover, 113 persons were injured in car crashes. These statistics, and a broad outline of the City Police’s modern approach to tackling crime, were part of a presentation given to the Deputy Minister of Safety and Security, Erastus Uutoni, Windhoek Mayor Elaine Trepper and City of Windhoek CEO Niilo Taapopi yesterday.Kanime explained that the City Police is focused on a prevention strategy which involves a close partnership with the community. It is a less ‘incident-driven’ approach, and focuses on removing the fear of crime by empowering the entire community through a number of actions and programmes.Daily, weekly and monthly crime statistics are weighed up on a weekly basis against crime reduction objectives. The main objective, based on 2010 numbers, is to reduce crime by 50 per cent. Earlier this year, Kanime said that the City Police had a strategy. ‘We are not operating in a vacuum, we have objectives and they are attainable.’The objectives are based on 2010 crime statistics. Close to 3 000 robberies were reported last year; 5 966 burglaries and close to 7 500 thefts.The City Police have installed 36 surveillance cameras in busy public areas. A further 35 cameras will be installed before the end of the year, Kanime said yesterday.In addition to the surveillance cameras, the City Police have implemented a bicycle squad, which Kanime says brings officers even closer to the people they serve. Windhoek has been divided into 19 zones. Each zone is allocated a City Police team and vehicle, ensuring that with time, communities and the police form trusted partnerships.Despite the challenges which the Police are actively targeting, successes include the fact that ‘the crime situation is contained’ and the City Police have established international friendships with police forces who provide support, information and assistance. Kanime said although the implementation of the new strategy is taking shape, it is not always smooth, mainly because of inadequate funding and a lack of investigative powers.