In a bid to tighten security, Machinga Police and Community Policing Forums in the district have agreed that all beer drinking joints should not operate past 10PM.
Machinga Police Community Policing Coordinator, Sub lnspector Masautso Katemera, led a joint night patrol which observed a lapse in night security as drinking joints operate past midnight.
He said beer drinking joints should operate within authorized hours, adding that bottle store operators need to abide by set regulations otherwise their licenses will be withdrawn.
“The police and members of community policing are doing joint patrols in the district to deal with crime and this compels us to engage bottle store operators,” Sub lnspector Katemera added.
Vice Chairperson of Nkula Community Policing Forum, John Thomas, said the forum will intensify night patrol to ensure that beer drinking joints operates within recommended time.
He observed that some criminals spend time in bars before they commit crime at night.
Thomas therefore hailed Machinga Police for acknowledging the role of community level policing structures in dealing with crime.
He pledged to that Nkula Community Policing Forum will continue working with Machinga Police and other partners to ensure Nkula area is crime free zone.
