Matheus Hamutenya
Keetmanshoop – //Karas regional police commander Commissioner Rudolf Isaak says the public can play a crucial role in helping the police fight crime, especially during this time of economic difficulties.
Isaak, who took over as //Karas regional commander at the beginning of the year, is confident the public can be major partners of the police in the fight against crime, saying this is needed more than ever due to the meagre financial resources available to law enforcement officers as a result of the overriding economic situation.
Isaak is optimistic that despite rolling budgetary cuts, the police can still operate effectively, saying where there are no resources, the police should be able to count on community members as equal partners in fighting crime.
He says without the community no police can exist and without the police there cannot be a peaceful community.
It is, therefore, now more important than ever that more community members embrace community policing, so as to help the police achieve its mission.
“I, therefore, urge encourage community members to join the Nampol reservists, neighbourhood watch groups, youth against crime, as well as other community policing forums to supplement Nampol in their day-to-day activities and challenges,” he said.
Isaak further said he will focus on a number of strategic objectives, including crime prevention, increasing police visibility, enhancing community policing, increasing the clearance of reported cases and maintaining sound relationships with colleagues, so as to achieve the vision of the Namibian police, which is to protect and serve all people in Namibia.
As regional police commander Isaak vowed to do his best to ensure the region is crime-free and that all feel safe and protected. He however stressed the need for teamwork, saying that in order to achieve its objectives, all members of the police force need to work as a team and he promised to foster an environment where teamwork prevails.
“As expected of me I will organise and focus all our available resources to accomplish the vision of the force and I will work hard with my teams and capable individuals to reduce crime and the levels of fear of crime and disorder in the region” he said, adding that: “We are jointly responsible for the safety of this community.”
Having been in the force for 37 years, the 58-year-old regional commander first joined the police in 1980 and worked in various regions, spending most of his time (34 years) as a detective, until he was stationed at Keetmanshoop in 2011 as the regional crime investigations coordinator, a position he held until his appointment as regional commander on January 1.