Rwanda National Police

There is mass participation of the general public in community policing related activities, which has seen crimes in the City of Kigali reduce tremendously and suspected criminals arrested.

 According to Supt. Modeste Mbabazi, the police spokesperson for the Central region, members of the public “have assumed their role in policing” and are “quick to inform police” on any threat affecting their safety and peace in their localities.

 “On a daily basis, we receive phone calls from people complimenting police or reporting a planned crime while others take the initiative to catch a suspected criminal and call police to arrest and pursue legal actions against such criminals. Through this way, criminality is slowly being contained and safety continues to prevail in communities,” Supt. Mbabazi said.

 In line with drug related crimes, he said that members of the public have been so keen in this fight, with both drug dealers and users reported and apprehended.

 “For example, on October 19 at about 3:00 am, we received a phone call from residents in Jabana Sector (Gasabo District) reporting a suspected drug dealer and when officers arrived, they actually recovered 79 kilogrammes of cannabis in his house. This is one of those many successful operations that the public have played a critical and exemplary role.”

 The suspect, Patrick Ndindiriyimana, 23, was also arrested and currently detained at Jabana Police station as investigations continue.

 Article 594 of the Rwandan penal code, stipulates that, any person who, unlawfully, makes, transforms, imports, or sells narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances within the country, shall be liable to a term of imprisonment of three to five years and a fine of Rwf500,000 to Rwf5 million.

Community Policing is a Rwanda National Police strategy developed to bridge the gap between the force and the public in solving localized problems and to make specific improvements that enhance the overall quality of life in their localities.

It increases a sense of responsibility for personal safety and problem solving among citizens and shifts from a predominantly reactive response to service calls, to proactive problem solving and increases effectiveness at resolving community-wide problems.