Police have to stretch budget to the limit

THE Police Service needs N$520,8 million, about of half of its N$976,46 million budget, for crime prevention, Deputy Minister of Safety and Security Gabes Shihepo said in Parliament last week.

N$269,44 million is required for border control and the protection of strategic public installations. The protection service for national leaders and foreign VIPs will cost N$125,1 million in the new financial year.An amount of N$9,1 million is allocated to road traffic control.Development projects like new Police stations and housing will receive N$51,8 million.Salaries still remain low and trained Police officers are leaving for greener pastures, Shihepo lamented.Even for the new financial year there is still not enough money to procure sufficient vehicles, uniforms and proper housing for staff and to feed trial-awaiting prisoners in Police cells.Shihepo gave a brief overview of crime statistics for the past year.He said crime decreased by 1.15 per cent, as only 84 497 cases were reported in 2006, compared to 85 484 cases in 2005.Of the total number of cases reported during 2006, 28 162 went to court, 17 482 were withdrawn, while 35 832 cases remained unresolved and 382 cases were discovered as false.”In total, 81 858 cases were cleared last year, 8 483 crime cases more than in 2005.”The Police arrested 31 765 suspects and brought all before court during 2006, Shihepo noted, but overcrowded Police cells remained a problem.Last year, 71 411 people became victims of crime – 1 268 fewer than in 2005.Most reported crimes were theft cases and they increased last year, Shihepo noted.About 18 649 thefts were reported in 2006, while only 16 756 cases were reported the previous year.Under the category serious crimes, about 12 725 cases were recorded last year, 179 cases less than the 12 904 reported in 2005.Housebreaking remains the most common crime in the country, accounting for 12 725 cases countrywide.Nearly half of these – 5 848 – were committed in the Khomas Region, 1 402 in Erongo and 1 121 in Oshana.Altogether 383 cases of armed robbery were reported to the Police last year, 41 cases more than in 2005.Seventy-six arrests were made last year for the possession of diamonds and 766 unpolished diamonds were seized, jointly valued at N$4,28 million.Eleven cases of illegal hunting were opened, 19 people arrested and 15 protected game products seized, together valued at N$32 440.Twenty-nine foreigners were arrested for possession of cocaine or cannabis with a joint street value of N$1 million.Car theft syndicates were operating mainly in the Khomas Region, Shihepo told the House.In 2006, 592 stolen vehicles were recorded, more than the 490 vehicles stolen in 2005.Seven cases of commercial crimes were investigated, which included fraud, tax evasion and contraventions of the Bank of Namibia Act.The total value involved was a staggering N$254,3 million.”New trends and modus operandi relate mainly to VAT fraud and fraud at ATMs, as well as when electronic money transfers are carried out,” Shihepo noted.The protection service for national leaders and foreign VIPs will cost N$125,1 million in the new financial year.An amount of N$9,1 million is allocated to road traffic control.Development projects like new Police stations and housing will receive N$51,8 million.Salaries still remain low and trained Police officers are leaving for greener pastures, Shihepo lamented.Even for the new financial year there is still not enough money to procure sufficient vehicles, uniforms and proper housing for staff and to feed trial-awaiting prisoners in Police cells.Shihepo gave a brief overview of crime statistics for the past year.He said crime decreased by 1.15 per cent, as only 84 497 cases were reported in 2006, compared to 85 484 cases in 2005.Of the total number of cases reported during 2006, 28 162 went to court, 17 482 were withdrawn, while 35 832 cases remained unresolved and 382 cases were discovered as false.”In total, 81 858 cases were cleared last year, 8 483 crime cases more than in 2005.”The Police arrested 31 765 suspects and brought all before court during 2006, Shihepo noted, but overcrowded Police cells remained a problem.Last year, 71 411 people became victims of crime – 1 268 fewer than in 2005.Most reported crimes were theft cases and they increased last year, Shihepo noted.About 18 649 thefts were reported in 2006, while only 16 756 cases were reported the previous year.Under the category serious crimes, about 12 725 cases were recorded last year, 179 cases less than the 12 904 reported in 2005.Housebreaking remains the most common crime in the country, accounting for 12 725 cases countrywide.Nearly half of these – 5 848 – were committed in the Khomas Region, 1 402 in Erongo and 1 121 in Oshana.Altogether 383 cases of armed robbery were reported to the Police last year, 41 cases more than in 2005.Seventy-six arrests were made last year for the possession of diamonds and 766 unpolished diamonds were seized, jointly valued at N$4,28 million.Eleven cases of illegal hunting were opened, 19 people arrested and 15 protected game products seized, together valued at N$32 440.Twenty-nine foreigners were arrested for possession of cocaine or cannabis with a joint street value of N$1 million.Car theft syndicates were operating mainly in the Khomas Region, Shihepo told the House.In 2006, 592 stolen vehicles were recorded, more than the 490 vehicles stolen in 2005.Seven cases of commercial crimes were investigated, which included fraud, tax evasion and contraventions of the Bank of Namibia Act.The total value involved was a staggering N$254,3 million.”New trends and modus operandi relate mainly to VAT fraud and fraud at ATMs, as well as when electronic money transfers are carried out,” Shihepo noted.