Police deploy 1,300 officers

KIGALI - Police have boosted deployment to beef-up security and prevent reckless driving during this festive season. Police Spokesman Inspector Willy Marcel Higiro said yesterday that 1, 300 police officers have been deployed to beef up security across the country. Majority of the officers deployed passed out recently at Gishari police training school, Higiro said.“There is increased deployment all over the country. There are more traffic checks, and day-and-night police patrols have been increased to prevent any kind of hooliganism during this period,” he said. Police hasn’t introduced new regulations, he said, emphasizing the security organ is only enforcing the existing rules. Higiro cautioned motorists against driving under the influence of alcohol and to fully respect traffic rules. He said that public places such as bars would operate within their normal working hours. Bars would be required to close at 10:00pm and work throughout the night on public holidays and weekends, he said He added that there are on-going community sensitisation campaigns to ensure that the public respects security and traffic rules and regulations. “We have not put in place check points on some highways, but all people should be disciplined in whatever they do during this season,” he said. On cross-border buses which normally get involved in accidents during festive seasons, Higiro warned that police would remain on the lookout to penalise bus companies and drivers who violate traffic rules. He urged bus drivers to respect the rules agreed upon between bus companies and the government last December. The rules came after a series of fatal accidents particularly on Rwanda-Uganda highway, all of which occurred around Christmas and New Year season. The regulations include installation of speed governors, routine inspection certificates and every bus company was obliged to have a supervisor who would submit regular travel reports to police authorities. The buses were also ordered to limit their speed to 60 kilometers per hour. Last week a Juguar company bus crashed in southwestern Uganda killing three people, an incident that sent a wave of panic among many people intending to travel to neighbouring countries. Ends

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Police deploy 1,300 officers