The United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and Solie Law Chamber recently presented a cash donation, amounting to ninety three thousand dalasis to the Gambia Police Force.
Out of this sum of money, UNDP donated ninety thousand dalasis, while the Solie Law Chambers provided three thousand dalasis. The funds were meant for the printing of brochures for the Gambia Police Force.
The presentation ceremony was held recently at the Police Headquarters in Banjul, attended by senior police officers and officials of the funding institutions.
The funds would be used to print the first-ever brochure of the Gambia Police Force on police/ public relations for effective implementation of community policing in order to reduce the incidence of crimes.
According to officials, it would also help the police in the detection and prevention of crimes, thus reducing the burden on the police with regard to crime-solving.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Yankuba Sonko, Officer Commanding Community Policing Unit, Inspector Fatty, said this development emanated from the office of the IGP.
He said it’s their desire to strengthen police /public relations and to increase public responsiveness to addressing the fear and victimisation of crimes in the communities.
While stating that since the success of the police is measured not by the number of arrests and detentions made, but by reducing the number of occurrence and recurrence of crimes and incidences , he said, it’s is therefore crucial to form sound partnership with the public, including making The Gambia free-crime society.
Speaking earlier, the programme specialist–governance and human rights, Bashiroun Garba-Juhumpa, said the UNDP believes that creating an effective communication system and good community policing system would be an indispensible tool in creating public awareness in such crimes.
He pointed out that the brochures would be like the Poliso Magazine to create a platform for the enlightenment of the public on crime related issues.
He said the UNDP wanted to be partnering with the police in terms of peace-building in the country, adding that the police alone cannot do it. As he puts it, they need support from other agencies and individuals to come to their aids.
The Deputy Inspector General of Finance, Eward Sambou thanked the UNDP and Solie Law Chambers for the support they have been rendering to the police.
