{The Eastern Region Police Commander (RPC) Assistant Commission of Police (ACP) Emmanuel Karasi has said that the region which borders three countries hinges more on information sharing to combat cross-border crimes.}
Rwanda borders Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi in the eastern.
According to ACP Karasi, like any other region that touches borderlines, Eastern Region is no exception and “faces cross-border crimes that include livestock and motorcycle theft, as well as a few isolated cases of human trafficking which is an emerging crime.”
“Some of these issues are addressed through normal Police work but most importantly completed by Irondo – community night patrols – which sometimes intercept criminals before they cross the borders and recover stolen items,” said ACP Karasi.
“If, for example, we get information that the suspect has crossed the border, we have excellent working relations with our counterparts in those countries, who helps us to locate, apprehend and deport the suspects,” he added.
Currently, Rwanda National Police enjoys a unique cooperation through separate memorandum of understandings that partly focuses on information exchange, fighting cross-border crimes, joint operations and training, among others.
ACP Karasi said they hold periodic meetings with their counterparts in the regions bordering Rwanda to “intensify border security.”
Between January and May this year, over 1990 cases were recorded in the region with drugs, assaults, theft and defilement covering 71.3 of the total recorded crimes, according to the security report in the region.
“RNP priorities are definitely Eastern Region priorities; it is in this context therefore, that cooperation stands out to be very crucial in today’s contemporary policing. You cannot address the issue of cross border crimes when there is no bilateral cooperation,” he said.
“This kind of cooperation with residents and our counterparts in the neighboring regions has been vital in fighting crimes majority related to narcotic drugs,” said the RPC.
The districts of Nyagatare borders Uganda, Bugesera borders Burundi and Kirehe borders Tanzania.
Generally, the RPC said, the security situation is “calm in the Eastern region despite the issues related to drug abuse, smuggling and theft and we continue to strengthen the concept of community policing and cross-border cooperation to preserve and promote security.”
“Some of the top crimes like drug abuse (Cannabis and Kanyanga) are smuggled from Tanzania and Uganda respectively and this is facilitated by porous borders between neighboring countries although we continue to forge strong cross border cooperation with police forces in these countries to fight these crimes jointly ,” he said.
“Community policing concept brings together police and the public, and therefore plays central role in ensuring safety and security; the people are the real determinants of security. We shall continue with this strategy through public awareness and enhance trust in quality and result oriented policing.”
Human security
ACP Karasi pointed out that police in the Eastern Region has been involved in different activities of human security aimed at improving health and wellbeing of the people.
Among those activities include police’s involvement in social programmes like the one-cow per poor family (Gir’inka), the Vision 2020 Umurenge (VUP) program , helping in building houses for vulnerable families and several others.
Police has also played a pivotal role in anti-malaria campaigns, distribution of mosquito nets, paying medical insurance premiums, environment protection, Umuganda among others.
“Policing wouldn’t be possible in unhealthy and poor society because they create some sort of insecurity that’s why we partner with local leaders to improve health and wellbeing of people and ultimately support the government development agenda,” said ACP Karasi.
He appreciated the prevailing working relations with the public and other security organs and reminded that “security prepares ground for development hence a need for safe and secure environment of which residents should building on.”
Meanwhile, the regional police unit and the local leadership in the eastern province established a toll-free hotline – 5767 to jointly promote and up hold safety and security.
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