TRAFFIC COMMANDERS URGED TO FORMULATE NEW ROAD POLICING STRATEGIES
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Investigations, Mr Busang Cornelius Lesola called on Traffic Commanders to formulate relevant strategies and programmes that will enhance road policing and reduce crime.
Giving a keynote address at a two-day Traffic Commanders Conference which commenced yesterday (15/02/2023) in Maun, Mr Lesola said considering the high number of lives lost through road accidents annually, there is a need to come up with rigorous and relevant strategies that answers this concern.
He said traffic violations have significantly increased by 5.3% as depicted by cases recorded between the year 2021 and 2022. The Deputy Commissioner said, 365 336 cases were registered in 2021 compared to 384 747 in 2022. Mr Lesola revealed that among these violations, speeding, driving without a driver’s licence and drunken driving accounted for a larger percentage of this increase. He however acknowledged that this increase could be attributed to strengthened traffic law enforcement by police officers.
For his part, Deputy Commissioner responsible for Operations Mr Solomon Mantswe, advised officers to work closely together in the fight against crime, stating that teamwork results in productivity.
He warned that modern criminals are motorised and use the very roads that are policed by traffic officers to advance their criminal agendas, saying the police should therefore, make most of the opportunity to apprehend perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Mr Mantswe also reminded them of the importance of community policing as it remains a key strategy towards the prevention and reduction of crime. He said the strong partnership between the police and the community has a positive impact on the detection of crime. Furthermore, he pointed out that the increased police presence on the streets and highways serves as reassurance to members of the public.
Meanwhile, the Director of Traffic, Mr Katlholo Mosimanegape said the Conference gives traffic police operatives an opportunity to reflect and review their performance so as to formulate applicable strategies to tackle the ever-increasing road violations. Mr Mosimanegape said through road policing, officers have managed to intercept many goods including stolen vehicles, a status which he applauded.
The Traffic Chief acknowledged that even though there is an increase in the total number of road traffic accidents, there is a notable decrease
