Crime Prevention Committees Urged to Resuscitate Clusters.
Officer Commanding No. 4 District (Lobatse), Senior Superintendent Sarah Gabathuse has urged Crime Prevention Committees to resuscitate their clusters to combat crime in the area.
Speaking at a Crime Prevention Workshop in Lobatse yesterday (27.01.2022), Senior Superintendent Gabathuse said Committees should re-embark on crime prevention activities owing to their disruption by the COVID-19 pandemic. She said these activities are very important as they are the fundamental tools to fight crime.
Senior Superintendent Gabathuse pleaded with cluster members to encourage other village wards to revive cluster groups and neighbourhood watch communities as this will help in guarding each otherβs property during their absence.
She appealed with them to work hand in hand with the Police and report criminal activities occurring in their localities. The Officer Commanding expressed concern about some members of the community who harbour criminals adding that doing so perpetuates crime.
Still at the workshop, the Officer Commanding cautioned people against buying suspected stolen properties as this increases crime.
She also informed the participants that Botswana Police Service has established a Gender and Child Protection Branch to focus mainly on issues relating to Gender-Based Violence (GBV). She encouraged residents to utilise the services by reporting incidents of gender-based violence.
For her part, Kgosi Tshegofatso Setumo of Peleng Customary Court, appreciated cluster members for their efforts, stating that through their commitment crime remains manageable.
She encouraged members of the community to help in policing their communities noting that society has a huge role in crime prevention. She added that crime happens within their localities and in the process affect them as victims, perpetrators and witnesses.
