26 Aug 2024

Botswana Police Service (BPS) currently has 750 active clusters across the country.

Delivering a keynote address at the 12th annual national community policing cluster awards ceremony held in Francistwon on August 22, the Commissioner of Police, Ms Dinah Marathe, said these clusters were geared towards involving the community to identify the root causes of crime in different localities and develop local strategies to address crime in order to create safer communities.

Ms Marathe said cluster policing performance is a culmination of the outcomes and successes from the joint efforts with the community, in preventing crime.

She stated that this joint venture is an effort to drive the public security agenda captured under Pillar IV of Vision 2036, which states that, “by 2036 Botswana will be a land of peace, freedom and progressive governance and communities will partner with the security services in fighting crime.”

“The police service will continue to align its mandate with the government’s priorities and digitise its key processes, whilst adopting a mindset that prioritises the voice of the customer in improving service delivery”, added Ms Marathe.

 She stated that since its introduction in the 1980s, community policing continued to be a pillar of strength and motivation for the effective law enforcement in the country. Ms Marathe noted that the community policing strategy has over the years impacted positively on local crime reduction including social ills such as gender based violence and abuse of social media that are confronting the country.

She added that the community policing clusters were introduced in 2012 with the main aim of reinforcing the effectiveness of the BPS and appreciating the efforts of the community in formulating and implementing innovative solutions towards crime prevention.

BPS Deputy Commissioner, Crime Investigations, Mr Busang Lesola, said crime prevention had been an integral part of the BPS mandate to protect life and property, prevent and detect crime and maintain security and public tranquility.

He said the community policing clusters aimed to close the gap between the police and the community for the benefit of all.

 Mr Lesola said BPS embraced community policing philosophy out of the belief that the police and the community must work together to solve contemporary challenges facing society.

When closing the ceremony, Member of Parliament for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, said criminals have targets they want to rob so the introduction of such clusters is a good initiative aimed at fighting crime in the community.

 He said the high level of unemployment increased crime as most graduates who have skills in different areas are unemployed and they use their complex skills to commit crime.

He urged every citizen to participate in crime prevention so as to keep the streets safe.

In Francistown, the Ipopeng Cluster under the Kutlwano Police Station scooped the Best Performing Cluster Award while the North Central Division took the Minister’s Award for Best Performing Police Division.

 The Number IV District Police in Lobatse took the Best Performing Police District whilst the Seronga Police Station became the Best Performing Police Station of the Year. ENDS