Africa-Press – Namibia.
The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Major General Joseph Shikongo, has issued a stern warning to officers across the country over persistent complaints that police fail to respond to crime scenes, often citing a lack of vehicles.
Addressing members during a visit to the Zambezi region, the police chief criticised what he described as a culture of excuses, saying officers must stop telling communities there are no cars available to attend to incidents such as house break-ins.
“There is a housebreaking and you are telling community members that you do not have a car. Why do you need a car? A car to do what?” he asked.
“When you are there, you are telling the community different things. I want that to come to an end,” he added.
While the remarks were made in Katima Mulilo, the inspector general made it clear that the concern applies to policing standards across Namibia. Communities in both urban and rural areas have repeatedly raised concerns about delayed responses, particularly at night.
He reminded officers that many citizens make great efforts to report crimes, sometimes walking long distances to reach police stations or calling in distress during the early hours of the morning.
“Community members are walking long distances to report cases. Sometimes they call you in the middle of the night. You are seven in the office and you tell them you do not have a car,” he said.
According to the police chief, such responses erode public trust and damage the reputation of the force. He instructed station commanders to take responsibility and ensure that available resources are used effectively.
“Commanders, lead your members. That must come to an end,” he said.
Shikongo also disputed the notion that the police lack vehicles nationwide. Using the Zambezi region as an example, he revealed that the region has 97 vehicles in total, with 27 currently grounded due to mechanical problems that are being attended to.
He further noted that about eight new vehicles were allocated to the region this year, questioning why officers continue to claim transport shortages.
“When we are talking about attending to the community, it does not mean only vehicles from operations,” he said.
The police chief stressed that responding to the public is a collective responsibility and not limited to specific units, warning once again that he does not want to hear officers telling community members that there is no vehicle available.
His remarks signal a broader push for accountability within the police service as concerns grow over crime response times. For many Namibians, delayed police attendance has become a source of frustration, with some residents claiming criminals take advantage of slow reaction times.
Shikongo’s directive now places the responsibility squarely on regional and station commanders nationwide to tighten supervision, improve coordination between units and ensure that operational vehicles are deployed efficiently.
Whether the strong warning will translate into quicker response times remains to be seen. However, the message from the police chief was clear, excuses about transport shortages will no longer be tolerated, and communities across Namibia deserve a more responsive police service.
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