Jana-Mari Smith
6 June 2011
Serious concern about escalating crime in Otjiwarongo has mobilised the community to take matters into their own hands.
Neville Neveling, who organised an emergency meeting at the town last week, says the community decided the best approach to improve the security situation will be to create neighbourhood watches.
Together with the police, who attended the meeting, the action plan includes dividing the town into sections and organising the community to take charge of the situation.
The police informed the community that they should conduct patrols and that it is advisable to join the police as reservists.
They also decided to petition the police head office in Windhoek.
“The police are not at their strongest in Otjiwarongo. We don’t know what the reason is, but there are too few police officers. We want to ask headquarters for more personnel.”
Another issue the community want to address is skills training for police officers. According to Neveling, the petition will include a request for police officers to receive regular training to update crime investigation skills and other requirements.
“We have questions for headquarters, and we feel it is our constitutional right that we may enjoy security and safety,” he said.
The idea of creating a citizens’ crime line was mentioned at the meeting.
“If there is someone in your home, you want to be able to reach the right person immediately”. Currently, residents feel that the crime line set up to reach the police takes too long.
“With the number now in place, you are first put through to switchboard. Then they must put you through to the right person. Sometimes it takes too long.”
The action plan, which will require a closer relationship with the police, is something the community feel will drastically improve the safety situation.
“We are happy that we will work closely with the police. Something has to happen now. We are receiving a lot of support from the police for our neighbourhood watch plan.”
But Neveling emphasised the need for the police to bring their side to the bargain.
“They are in favour of this. They say any help they can get, they will be thankful for. But they also have to do their best.”
AllAfrica – All the Time
Continued here:
Otjiwarongo Residents Demand Better Security