National Director of Community Policing and Rural Police Units for the Malawi Police Service (MPS) Alexander Ngwala has urged the newly elected block leaders under Kawale Police Station in Lilongwe to seriously work together with the police to prevent crime and mob justice cases.
Speaking in Kawale during an interface with over 100 block leaders, Ngwala stressed the need for the community policing structures within the city to curb criminal activities through joint patrols with police officers.
Said Ngwala: “We want to mainstream issues of community policing within the block leadership. This is to ensure that we revitalize community policing structures and work together as we strive to curb criminal activities in the city.”
He, however, bemoaned the tendency of attacking police units whenever community members have issues with some police officers, saying dialogue is the only solution.
“We’ve urged these block leaders to inform residents to desist from attacking police officers and police units whenever there are some misunderstandings. We’ve also urged them to discourage issues of mob justice in their communities,” added Ngwala.
Central West Region executive committee chairperson Alex Chapondera urged the block leaders to coordinate efforts with the gazetted traditional chiefs to ensure the smooth running of community policing structures.
“Some gazetted traditional leaders perceive block leaders as enemies to safety and security efforts. So we’ve pleaded with these block leaders, who are elected through the councils, to work in harmony with the main traditional leaders for the sake of law and order in the city,” said Chapondera.
On his part, block leader Brian Mtambo of Block C Mchesi commended the police for the timely message.
“Mchesi, for instance, has no vibrant community policing structures and, following the meeting, we will set up one for community safety and security,” he said.
Some of the officers who attended the meeting are Kawale Police Station officer in charge Marko Mvukuta and regional community policing coordinator Cagetan Singano.
