Roll out of community policing marked by billboard unveiling
The nationwide awareness raising campaign for Community Policing was launched by the Namibian Police Force and the British High Commission.
NamPol IGP Lt General S. Ndeitunga with High Commissioner M. Young, with a group of police officers underneath the billboard
The British High Commission in Windhoek has been at the helm of assisting NamPol with funding for the introduction of community policing projects. The introduction of community policing in Katutura, where the pilot phase was conducted, saw a reduction of crime figures in the key areas by 30%. In 2014, the British High Commission availed £ 15.000 (N$ 243,700) to support the National Roll Out Campaign of Community Policing in Namibia and assisted with the production of information and training materials for Community Policing officers and communities nationwide, including awareness-raising billboards in the Namibian capital.
At the unveiling of one of the Community Policing Billboards, British High Commissioner to Namibia, HE Mrs Marianne Young, emphasized, that the British High Commission looks forward to supporting this initiative going forward and bringing further police expert assistance to Namibia in the coming year: “We hope that this support and ongoing Anglo-Namibian partnership will help spread the word and engagement with this successful security initiative – so that in a few weeks time, all Namibians, and all Police Officers in particular, can learn more about the importance of Community Policing and the role everybody is being encouraged to play to help prevent crime in our communities. (….) Community Policing in Namibia is and remains an important security joint venture between the Namibian and British police services and we are proud to be playing an active role in this ongoing success story”, Young said.
75.000 pamphlets on community policing, neighborhood watches and suggestion boxes have been produced for the purpose of educating the public and raising awareness. 1500 t-shirts and caps were also printed for the same purpose, which will be handed to neighborhood watches, police officers at roadblocks and in the communities.