EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA — The Director of Community Policing, Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Butera has hailed the Community Policing Committees for their contribution in reducing crimes in Rwamagana District.

Speaking to The New Times after meeting the Community Policing Liaison Officers recently, Butera said the efforts of Community Policing Committees had helped reduce crimes.

"I am satisfied with what they are doing but we shall continue the evaluation through Sector, Cell and village levels to ascertain the indicators and the level of collaboration between residents, police and local leaders in preventing crimes,” he said. 

The meeting was held at Ecole des Sciences Infirimiere de Rwamagana and attended by Presidents of Community Policing Committees, Sector Executive Secretaries in the district and district leaders.

According to Butera, the meeting was meant to assess whether the group were fulfilling their roles of sensitizing residents on the importance of community policing and collaborating with residents to combat crimes among other things.

Butera urged the members to exhibit discipline in order to enhance their reputation and reflect a good image in whatever they do.

"Be patriotic, be effective and efficient and provide quick services. By doing so, he said, you will be ensuring good governance necessary for the development of the nation.

Enlighten residents to be responsible and to always solve their own problems is one way to promote community policing.”

One participant however, requested for specific training of Community Policing Committees, in order to properly execute their roles.

Meanwhile, Alphonsine Murekatete, the district Vice mayor in charge of Social Affairs appealed to all participants to work as a team and to speak the same language.

She noted that local leaders need to be exemplary, by first dropping bad behavior. She called on local leaders to explain to residents to learn how to solve their own problems. 

With an aim to prevent crime rates in the country, Rwanda National Police started Community Policing in 2000. The law putting it into force was promulgated and was finally adopted in October 2007.

Community Policing Liaison Officers were appointed in each administrative sector countrywide and Community Policing Committees right from village (Umudugudu) to cell and sector levels were constituted in February 2008.

The policy seeks to reduce crime rate through partnership amongst Community Policing Committees, police and local residents. 

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