Africa-Press – Botswana. The Ministry of Defence and Security has announced plans to establish two new departments within Botswana Police Service (BPS).
Speaking Wednesday during President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi’s visit to Broadhurst Police Station, Minister Kagiso Mmusi said the departments would deal with stock theft and city policing.
He explained that the decision to establish a fully-fledged stocktheft department was prompted by unabated rustling in the country which continued to impoverish many.
“We have decided to ensure that the stocktheft department is fully-fledged and is present across the country to stabilise the wealth of the people,” he said.
Mr Mmusi said the newly recruited 1 000 officers would ensure that BPS increased its policing services.
“We want to ensure that as you travel and lure world class investors, the investors remain in this country to invest,” he told the President.
BPS acting commissioner, Mr Phemelo Ramakorwane mentioned among the contemporary policing challenges abuse of drugs and social media, rural-urban migration, influx of illegal immigrants and gender-based violence.
Zeroing in on Broadhurst Police Station, he said it handled diverse crimes ranging from petty to complex such as robbery, murder, defilement, fraud and different types of assaults.
In addition, the station housed South Central division headquarters, traffic division headquarters and No.3 Police District making it one of the busiest in the city, said Mr Ramakorwane.
He said the station covered Gaborone Central constituency with a population of over 70 000 and a staff complement of 338 officers plus 127 special constables which translated into a ratio of one police officer per 150 people.
The disparity, Mr Ramakorwane said, was compensated by the use of technology, specifically the safer city video camera surveillance.
“Our efforts remain relentless in pursuing strategies and initiatives to address the situation,” he said.
Mr Ramakorwane said compared to last year, national crime statistics for the first quarter of this year showed a 13 per cent decline.
He said 39 803 cases were registered this year compared to 45 765 in 2022.
Meanwhile, BPS has donated two bulls to the presidential bull donation initiative aimed at improving the quantity and quality of the national herd.
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