HUYE—The Director in charge of community policing, Assistant Commissioner of Police Emmanuel Butera, has urged police officers in the Southern Province, to closely work with  residents in order to strengthen security and prevent crimes.

Butera made the remarks on Tuesday, while opening a five-day training on community policing for police officers drawn from different police posts in the province, at Credo Hotel in Huye District.

"Every Rwandan should take part in community policing because security cannot be guaranteed without involving civilians,” he said.

Butera disclosed that most crimes recorded in the area are related to Genocide ideology and other petty crimes which he attributed to drug and alcohol abuse.

"Police should be able to prevent crimes instead of waiting for such incidences to be committed,” he said, adding that police officers should always master their operational areas properly in order to prevent crimes.

Officers who attended the training told The New Times that reluctance of residents to participate in night patrols were  some of the challenges facing community policing.

The residents requested authorities to look at ways of developing  an incentive system  in order to help boost the activities of community policing.                                  

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