Chikwawa has registered 1,067 criminal cases from January to June this year, a jump from the 939 cases registered during the same period last year representing a 12 percent increase.
This was disclosed at a Station Executive Committee meeting, Chikwawa Police organised to share its bi-annual crime and road traffic report with other security enforcement stakeholders in the district.
Speaking during an interview, Chikwawa Police Officer In-charge (O.C) Alex Simenti attributed the rise in crime rate to poor relationship which exists between the police and members of the community in the district.
Simenti therefore called for strong coordination between the police and members of the community through community policing forums in order to reduce the crime rate in the district.
“For a long time, our relationship with members of the community has been that of a cat and a mouse. Often times, the community members have been vandalising police property whenever they feel dissatisfied with our work.
“However, we are here to assure them that this is their police and they should not fail to come to our office should they feel not happy in some way with our services, so that we can iron out our differences amicably.
“You see all these crimes we are talking about are happening right in the communities. Therefore, if the members of the community can be on guard for each other and mobilise themselves against crimes, there is no way we can fail to beat crimes. But if we keep pulling each other down like this, criminals will continue to take advantage of us,” he said.
Simenti further warned his charges who have been aiding criminal elements that they will not be spared and will face the long arm of the law once found in such mischievous activities.
Chikwawa Police Station Executive Committee Chairperson Tembo John Khisimisi has since pledged his support and cooperation to law enforcers in order to tackle the rising crime rate in the district.
The bi-annual crime and road traffic report also indicates a rise in theft and suicide cases with a minor positive being that the district has not registered any single case of rape from January to June this year unlike in 2020 when two cases were registered.
