The South West Region Police has reported 3,596 criminal cases from January to June this year, marking a 5% increase compared to the same period in 2023, when 3,429 cases were recorded.
Superintendent Owen Douglas Linzie, the region’s Police Research and Planning Coordinator, disclosed these findings from a bi-annual report assessing regional performance.
The report highlights rises in homicide (51%), break-ins and theft (8%), and assault (3%), while robberies decreased by 17% and sexual offenses by 7%.
Linzie attributed the increase in homicide and assault to mob justice and personal disputes and linked the surge in break-ins and theft to economic hardships and released convicts.
The report credits the region’s reduced crime rate (down from 8% in 2023 to 5% this year) to heightened police visibility, intelligence-driven operations, and enhanced community engagement in crime prevention efforts.
Linzie assured city residents and students of comprehensive security measures in place, minimizing concerns about incidents involving street-connected children.
Regarding traffic management, the report notes a decrease in accidents from 822 in 2023 to 762 this year, with consistent fatality figures of 60 in both periods. While Limbe and Mwanza saw increases in accidents, other stations reported decreases.
Looking forward, Linzie emphasized the region’s commitment to tackling crime with strategies including deploying additional patrol teams, enhancing criminal intelligence gathering, installing more CCTV cameras, and empowering community policing and neighborhood watch initiatives.
