17 Dec 2024

Botswana Police Service (BPS) stands ready to serve with honour, integrity and has an unyielding commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all Batswana.

In welcoming President Advocate Duma Boko during the BPS senior administration meet and greet, BPS Commissioner, Ms Dinah Marathe stated that as the stewards of law and order, BPS recognised the magnitude of their responsibility.

“We are inspired by your clarity of purpose and the national vision you have articulated, a vision that calls for inclusivity, accountability and progress. We pledge not only to uphold the rule of law but also to be active collaborators in delivering a Botswana where safety and peace are the cornerstones of prosperity,” Ms Marathe said.

She said the BPS was statutorily entrusted with ensuring public safety and security.

Ms Marathe indicated that the BPS mandate was delivered under three broad functional areas of operations, crime investigations and support services.

She said as a police service, the BPS recognised the significant responsibilities and demanding nature of its work and stood committed to developing and maintaining a team of disciplined, well-rounded, agile, resilient, highly professional and progressive officers.

“ Our officers are dedicated to going above and beyond the call of duty. This dedication is crucial in upholding our deeply rooted culture of serving with honour and distinction, regardless of the challenges or risks we face all while ensuring community safety,” Ms Marathe said.

She said the BPS recognised the challenges that hindered its effectiveness on crime prevention and crime-fighting efforts.

These challenges, she said included the rapid advancements in technology and its contribution to sophistication in crime, the complexities of policing the cyber space, the transnational and organised nature of contemporary crimes as well as the aggravated violence observed in the commission of certain crimes such as armed robberies, rape, and home invasions.

Additionally, she highlighted the concerning rise in illicit drug use and the misuse of social media platforms, especially among the youth.

She similarly stated that there were also resource challenges associated with policing such as limited staff, shortages of accommodation and transport as well as the performance of non-core police functions such as, case prosecution and document certification, which affect capacity building and training efforts.

She said the challenges had the potential to propagate the fear of crime amongst communities and contribute to overall loss of confidence in the police hence the need to overcome them in order to achieve police effectiveness.

She said although the volume of crime had slightly increased over the years, BPS had successfully kept it within manageable levels, as evidenced by crime statistics and positive trends in certain targeted crimes.

“We continue to build capacity in specialized investigations and crime detection through relevant training, the application of scientific methods and tools and investment in research and technology,” she said.

She thus said BPS had taken deliberate steps to address the complexities of modern policing with Initiatives such as the introduction of automated biometric identification systems and drone technology which she said were testament of BPS commitment to leveraging advanced tools for crime prevention and detection. ENDS