The Rwanda National Police has announced plans to establish its own radio station, a move aimed at getting further closer to the public and easy means of fighting crimes.The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana disclosed this yesterday during the celebrations to mark the force’s 12th anniversary, also called ‘Police Day’, held at the force’s headquarters in Kacyiru.Formed on June 16, 2000, under the law No. 09/2000, the Rwanda National Police (RNP) was created out of three institutions which had police mandate at a time.They included Gendarmerie National which was under the Ministry of Defence, the Communal police, under the Ministry of Local Government and played the force’s administrative role and judicial police which was under the Ministry of Justice.Gasana also said that plans are underway to recruit more officers, to meet the ratio of police to public, especially the number of female officers, which is now 19 percent of the over 10000 total police force.The number of female police officers is scheduled to increase to 30 percent by June 2014.Promoting ICT in police activities, acquiring more policing equipment and decentralising Gender Based Violence (GBV) health centres to offer free medical services to victims, Gasana added, are the other future plans, all aimed at creating a professionalised force.Currently, there is only one health centre, also called Isange One Stop centre, for GBV victims which operate under police hospital in Kacyiru.The second health centre is set to be constructed in Kicukiro district in the next three months at a tune of Rwf30 million.Plans are also underway to decentralise the vehicle inspection mechanical centre to other parts of the country.Currently, all vehicles are brought to Kigali for mechanical check up."We want to construct a modern forensic laboratory, specialised medical legal hospital and host the first ever Police Command Post Exercise to standardise the EAPCCO operating procedures,” said Gasana.The Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation – EAPCCO – brings together 12 regional countries.Gasana is the current chair of the regional police body. "A lot has been achieved, but the road is still long, which needs continued partnership with everyone to achieve our targets,” said Gasana.The police chief, cited training and development, especially in the educational sector and offering refresher courses to all officers and establishing ant-crime clubs, among the achievements attained in the past one year.The National University of Rwanda (NUR) and Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) open faculties of Law and ICT respectively at the National Police Academy in Musanze District.The event presided over by the Minister of Internal Security, Fazil Musa Harelimana, also saw the Regional Police Unit – Kigali – awarded as this year’s overall best performer among all police units in the country in combating crimes and good governance, among others.The commission for operations was last year’s best unit.Also awarded are five residents from the districts of Nyamasheke, Gatsibo, Kicukiro, Burera and Nyanza, for their outstanding performance in partnering with the force in security issues.The residents were also given bicycles and certificates of recognition.One of the awarded residents, Fredric Nzabandora, from Nyamasheke, cited how police in the previous regime was known for crimes."This is exceptional, seeing police and even the army partnering with the public to help the vulnerable like getting them shelter. We never saw this with the previous police. We would look for hideouts every time we could see the police; we could hide to save our lives,” said Nzabandora. Harelimana noted that the force has come a long way "and there is no turning back.”"We have come from far…from the ashes of the genocide to the point of creating a professionalised force and preventing crimes. There is no turning back,” said Harelimana, calling the public and partners to honour their promises for the force to accomplish its goals. bosco.asiimwe@newtimes.co.rw