What’s the Plan, Police Chief?

He strongly cautioned police officials against speaking to the media without authorisation.

“The Namibian Police is a professional force, hence the importance to have the force’s communication and all interviews coordinated so as not to allow unauthorised officers to disseminate information, which, at times may place the organisation in disrepute,” Shikongo said in a statement.

While Shikongo may have a point on having a coordinated communication strategy, the police boss would do better to direct his energy to the core issue: crime.

Yes, Shikongo has hinted at bringing back street patrols, but the truth is the public has yet to hear about his and his team’s plans to rein in crime.

Armed patrols appear to be a palliative approach without addressing the root cause.

Yes, street patrols do offer some relief to citizens who feel more secure, but it’s a short-term approach.

One cannot keep police officers and soldiers on the streets permanently. It would be too costly.

Shikongo and his team should tell the public how many crime rings Operation Kalahari dismantled, how many gang members were arrested, and how many hardcore criminals were convicted.

The city police said in August this year that 359 robbery cases were reported in 49 days – between June and 14 August this year.

That is seven crimes a day.

The Villager reported that 202 of these cases involved weapons.

Former Khomas police commander commissioner Ismael Basson has said the region is not a crime hotspot, but that there has been a surge in crime.

This begs the question: What is the new police boss’s plan? What are his priorities regarding making Namibia and the capital safe?

It’s frightening that robberies in Windhoek have become the norm. Video clips of people being robbed in their houses or in the streets are common on social media and on WhatsApp groups.

This trend needs to be stopped, and that task starts with the police, who are funded by the state, to protect us.

Shikongo, who has been on the job for a month now, inherited a police force which is starved of financial resources, understaffed, and poorly equipped.

A significant portion of the police’s fleet of vehicles is deemed unroadworthy.

The police chief has acknowledged a lack of boots on the ground. He said the city police last recruited in 2014, and have 140 vacant positions.

Shikongo and his top brass need to adopt a scientific approach to policing that includes involving other key stakeholders, such as neighbourhood watch groups on the ground.

Such an approach would require them to sit down and crunch the numbers and provide statistics which justify how the force allocates its resources.

A well thought-out plan to deal with crime should be Shikongo’s primary objective. They also need to rid the force of rogue elements, who allegedly moonlight as criminal figures.

Word on the street is that some crimes are not being solved because there are members of the force who allegedly appear to protect known criminals.

One of the best traits of former inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga was his availability to the media via his cellphone.

Shikongo should not underestimate the importance of the media.

This includes improving their communications department so that it is able to provide information rapidly.

Information is helpful, not harmful. Members of the public need to be constantly kept in the picture so they can stay alert.

In some cases information can be a lifeline.

The more information people have at their disposal, the greater their awareness and the more they are enabled to make better decisions.

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