SACCORD has called on the Zambia Police Service to quickly find a way of engaging the public so as to develop a good working relationship.
Speaking in an interview SACCORD Executive Director Boniface Cheembe said the continued burning down of police stations is a signal that the public is frustrated with the operations of the law enforcement agencies.
Mr Cheembe who was commenting on the burning down of a Police station in George Compound last night said the Zambia Police Service should quickly invest and cultivate good relationships with the public.
He said the greatest asset of any Police world over is its citizens hence the need for the police to engage the public.
He however, was quick to condemn the actions of the residents of George Compound saying such behavior should not be condoned by any well meaning Zambian.
“This is not the first time that in Zambia we are seeing the burning of a police station or hearing reports of the burning down of a police station. The nation is aware of such an incident which happened in Kafue and other incidences of similar nature happened in other parts of Lusaka.
“If people always run to burn down Police stations when something happens or when they have got a grievance then there is a problem with the manner with which we are policing our people in the country and as SACCORD we believe that the greatest asset that any Police service has in any given nation or society is its citizens and if there are no good relationship between the Police service and citizens then you are likely to have incidents of the nature of the burning down of Police stations.
“No one should ever condone any damage to both private or public property but more so public good property such as the police station because everybody needs the services of the police, ” he said.
He added “In the event that we continue to have what we now see to be a strange relationship between the police service and the people then we are likely to continue seeing the burning down of police stations which should be condemned very strongly,” he said.
AND POLICE KEEP SENSITIVE RECORDS IN THIS PIT-LATRINE IN THE NAME OF POLICE POST? CHAWAMA IS NOT A TOWNSHIP BUT A VERY BIG TOWN JUST LIKE CHELSTONE, WOODLANDS, MATERO TO MENTION BUT A FEW. THESE TOWNS DESERVE IMPOSING STATE-OF-THE-ART POLICE STATIONS IN ORDER TO COMBAT CRIMES COMMITTED IN THESE AREAS, AS WELL AS RE-ENFORCE LOW AND ORDER. OBVIOUSLY, THE ABOVE MENTIONED THINGS CAN NEVER BE ACHIEVED IN THOSE PIT-LATRINES. POLICE NEED MODERN POLICE STATIONS WITH PROPER COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS AND A GOOD FLEET OF FORMS OF TRANSPORT INCLUDING BICYCLES AND MOTORIZED VEHICLE. POLICE NEED TO MODERNIZE IN ORDER TO COMBAT CRIME. LET WORKING IN PIT-LATRINES BE A THING OF THE PAST-THE GRZ SHOULD WORK ON THIS.
from @1…YOU SEE TECHNOCRATS/DESINERS WHO THINK FOR THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INTEGRATIVE IN THEIR THINKING AND DESIGN OF GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS. THEY SHOULD BARE IN MIND THAT THE PRODUCTS/SERVICES THEY DESIGN AND DEVELOP FOR A GIVEN MINISTRY/DEPARTMENT WILL IMPACT ON OTHER MINISTRIES’ SERVICES. EG, TAKE FOR INSTANCE A TOURIST WHO VISITS ZAMBIA AND UN FORTUNATELY THE FIRST THING HE SEES IS THE ABOVE POLICE STATION/POST. DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY WILL BE CONFIDENT TO TRUST IN OUR POLICING SYSTEM, LET ALONE RE-VISITING THE COUNTRY, AGAIN? THEY WILL BE SO SCARED OF THE SAFETY OF THEIR BELONGINGS AND THEIR LIVES. BECAUSE, THEY CAN’T TRUST THAT SUCH OUTFIT OF A POLICE STATION WOULD BE ANYWHERE CAPABLE OF SAFE GUARDING THEIR PERSONAL INTERESTS, LET ALONE PUBLIC.
from @2…THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT NEED FOREIGN EXPERTISE AND FOREX TO CONSTRUCT WHAT CAN BE CALLED A GOOD-LOOKING STRUCTURE FOR A POLICE STATION. MOSTLY WHAT GRZ NEEDS IS CONCRETE AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF CEMENT FOR CONCRETE BLOCKS IN ZAMBIA. ABOUT A YEAR OR SO AGO, I THINK I WAS READING ABOUT ZAMBIA’S DIMINISHED NUMBER OF VISITORS WHO ARE BEING LOST TO BOTSWANA, ZIMBABWE AND OTHER NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND YONDER. IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE TO KNOW THAT SUCH POOR OUTFITS IN ZAMBIA WILL OBVIOUSLY CHASE AWAY TOURIST TO WHERE THEY CAN FEEL SAFE BY SEEING CERTAIN STRUCTURES PROPERLY DONE AND PUT IN PLACE. ACCORDINGLY OUR CITY OF LUSAKA SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST 10 MODERN POLICE STNs IN TOWNS SUCH AS CHELSTONE, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, MATERO, CHAWAMA CHILENJE, LILANDA, ETC.
The police stations in this country are appalling and an eyesore. Central Police is the largest station we have but look at it. It is rundown and an eyesore. Even the color of the building is vile. It is unfortunate that the citizens are burning down the stations. This action should be condemned. People are frustrated with the police and the manner in whip they deal with issues. What has not helped is the ruling party’s cadres attitude. The police are toothless and they stand by doing nothing. The image of the police in Zambia need to change. Starting with their appearance, buildings and laissez faire attitude. They need to look professional and alert.