AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA like any peaceful part of the world has a Police Force that should be hailed for both being part of the community they serve, and the government protecting that community.
This is because the purpose of law enforcement in a free society is to promote public safety and uphold the rule of law so that individual liberty may flourish.
With that in mind, the recent Police swoop in Lake Zone where 825 motorcycles and other items, which had been stolen in the region were recovered, should also remind criminals that any ill gotten item or wealth would still be recovered.
As ‘africa-press,’ yesterday reported that the operation initiated after the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Simon Sirro issued an order following an increase in cases of theft and loss of the equipment in Mwanza, Geita, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Tabora, Tarime Rorya, Mara and Kagera regions, this should be a lesson to people, whose business is buy stolen things either knowingly or not that they are accomplice in the crime punishable in any Law Court.
According to a report released to the media in Mwanza by Special Operations Police Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SACP), Mihayo Msikhela, the operation which was conducted from May 4th to May 29th, 2020 in eight regions, if possible ought to have been extended countrywide.
SACP Msikhela said that through the operation, it came to their attention that most owners of the motorbikes didn’t have written agreements with their riders, nor did they take trouble to know their background, which is a loophole making thieves in the business to have a flourishing market for stolen motorbikes.
SACP Msikhela said they also noted that some motorbikes had number plates of the companies from which they were purchased while others had their ownership details unchanged after being sold to other persons.
He said other owners fabricated the number plates on their own, something which was against the law.
Giving an example, SACP Msikhela, said they have arrested three people in connection with production of number plates for the motorcycles in Mara Region.
By and large, community policing should be encouraged because it reinforces police becoming part of the neighbourhood.
This helps the Police get a better sense of resident’s needs and helps residents to develop greater trust in the police, and in many cases, it is seen as an effective way to promote public safety and to enhance the quality of life in a community.
