Fighting crime should be a culture – IGP Gasana

Rwandans should maintain and strengthen the culture of collaborating with the police in fighting and preventing the crimes that frustrate the country’s development pace, the Inspector General of Police Emmanuel Gasana, said yesterday as Police Week activities ended.

Monday, June 17, 2013
Harelimana (L) awards Western Region Police Commander Seminega as IGP Gasana (R) looks on yesterday. he New Times/ J. Mbanda.

Rwandans should maintain and strengthen the culture of collaborating with the police in fighting and preventing the crimes that frustrate the country’s development pace, the Inspector General of Police Emmanuel Gasana, said yesterday as Police Week activities ended.During the week, the force conducted different outreach activities countrywide including rallying the population on environment protection, road safety, fighting drug abuse and gender based violence as well as helping the needy. In Nkombo Sector, Rusizi District, the force donated mosquito nets and fully-paid medical insurance cards to 200 vulnerable families and cleared shrubs and constructed terraces in a ten-hectare forest in the Nkombo Island, to prevent soil erosion.Houses for the needy were constructed in various parts of the country, while police officers trained citizens in different districts about various techniques of fighting fire outbreak, during the week that was held under the theme; "Police-Public Partnership for Sustainable Security.”Policing efforts"It should be a culture for all Rwandans in partnership with Police to continue working together with the aim of achieving our objective; a crime free secure country,” said Gasana at the event at Police headquarters in Kacyiru. In a subsequent interview, the Police Commissioner in charge of Public Relations and Community Policing, Theos Badege, said the force’s current priorities include elimination of gender-based and domestic violence, fighting drug abuse and road safety.He urged the community to always provide information to the police, and on time to ensure timely intervention.During the Police Week, at least 30 heads of transportation agencies operating in Rwanda underwent training in road safety. The managers, during the three-day training, covered areas like fire outbreak management, management skills, customer care, service delivery and traffic rules and regulations.During the event yesterday individuals, institutions and some government officials were recognised and given prices for proper collaboration with the force in fighting crime.