Partnership helps lower crime: Cop

COLLECTIVE efforts by police and stakeholders have severed a series of armed robberies in Northern’s Popondetta town, commander Acting Supt Daniel Yangen says.
“We are now moving our focus to rural areas to forge partnerships with local level government presidents and community leaders to help check crime,” he said.
Supt Yangen said 15 armed robberies (including attempted) were reported in February and 17 in March.
“The cases dropped to three in April and two cases each in May, June and last month,” he said.
“This is good news for business houses and people from the province as the series of armed robberies had affected business activities and public confidence in law enforcement and crime prevention.
“The province has about 75 policemen and officers and the manpower is not enough to effectively address law and order issues.
“When police are attending a case, another case pops up somewhere else, creating problems in law enforcement and crime-prevention.”
Supt Yangen said the provincial government, members of the peace and good order committees and others were now helping police to address law and order issues and “this has become a deterrent to criminals and a success for us all”.
“The police and people have declared war against criminals and it is this combined power that is now keeping criminals at bay or slowing down their criminal activities,” he said.
“This partnership must continue to ensure long-term peace and harmony for communities and businesses.” Supt Yangen said every community leader, councillors and presidents should know that people desired peace and freedom to move around safely.
However, he said highway robberies were a major problem which the police were slowly addressing through partnership collaboration with stakeholders.