Somali Police Force and AMISOM Join Abdul Asis Residents in Community Policing Drive

Residents of Abdul Asiis district, in Banaadir region have been asked to embrace community policing as a means of fighting crime.

In a town hall meeting attended by women, youth, elders and members of the business community the residents were told to partner with the Somali Police Force (SPF) and AMISOM Formed Police Unit of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), to make this initiative a success.

The meeting was presided over by the District commissioner Osman Ali Ariif, along with SPF and AMISOM police officers on Thursday to discuss ways of sharing intelligence and crime reporting in the district.

In his remarks, the District Commissioner noted that civilians have a huge role to play in keeping their neighbourhoods safe and secure.

He reassured the community that information given to the police will be treated with utmost confidence in order to protect those who come forward to report incidents.

“Thank you once again to AMISOM police and Somali police for visiting us in Abdul Asiis district. They today unveiled community policing program in our district which is meant to sensitize the community on working and forming partnership with the police. Today, our guests have introduced us to a police hotline number 888 and the purpose is for citizens to report crimes to the police discretely and anonymously” said the DC

The SPF community liaison officer, Lieutenant colonel Fatuma Hassan Mohamed, on her part welcomed the community policing and pledged her support to the community and the local administration.

“I am the commander of the community relations and neighborhood watch of the Somali Police; I congratulate and thank the district commissioner who invited me today to Abdul Asiis district. We are willing and ready to work with the administration on any issues relating to the Somali Police” said Col. Fatima

On behalf of AMISOM, Police PIO Inspector Edwin Mugera, appreciated the close working relations between the district administration, the Somali police force and AMISOM police. He stressed that the programme was part of an on-going campaign by the SPF and AMISOM Police, to build partnerships with communities, aimed at crime prevention, fast tracking reporting of crimes and enhancing security.

Mugera reminded the community that their best weapon to fight crime is their eyes and reporting what they see.

“Today we reported to Abdul Asiis district within Mogadishu Banaadir region for a community sensitization program one in a series of many which has taken place within Banaadir region. The Somali police jointly with AMISOM and the local district administration engaged the locals on a program that sought to forge closer ties between the communities and the police. The aim of the engagement was to educate the members of the public on crime reporting mechanisms as well as forming the neighborhood watch programs” said Mugera