Rwanda National Police

The Inspector General of Police Emmanuel K. Gasana, on July 11 met with the 129 Police officers who returned home last week after successfully completing a one year peacekeeping under the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah) and thanked them for their professional conduct and discipline exhibited during their mission spell.

The officers under Rwanda Formed Police Unit (RWAFPU IV) are part of the contingent of 140 officers, who include 17 females deployed in Haiti on July 4 last year to support peace building activities.

During a debriefing at the Rwanda National Police headquarters in Kacyiru, the Police Chief welcomed them back home thanked them for being “good ambassadors” and maintaining the “Rwandan pride and spirit” and keeping the flag high.

He said that while they were away conducting peacekeeping duties, the force and the country in general continued the path to sustainable development and urged them to use the acquired experience and skills to work with others towards that path.

“We have continuously achieved a lot working with other countries in development, successfully hosted international conference, fought crimes and corruption in particular and this has continued to portray the country’s good image.” The IGP said.

The level of crime decreased by 5.7 percent in the last six months and all the international meetings held in Rwanda were incident-free according to the Police report released on Tuesday.

Among the major events hosted by Rwanda are 20th commemorations of genocide and liberation anniversary, African Development Bank Annual General Meeting, the third Sub-Saharan International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference, the 6th International Experts meeting on genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity which aimed at fighting impunity, Women In Parliament forum, Pan-African Youth Conference and Tripartite Summit.

The IGP also informed them of the force’s measures to ensure homeland security and collaboration with other regional and international police forces to combat cross-border crimes.

The RWAFPU IV which was headed by Chief Supt. Peter Hodari returned home with UN medals for their outstanding and professional services in the Caribbean nation and was replaced by other 140 officers under RWFPU V, headed by CSP Freddie Murenzi.

The mandate of Rwanda police officers is to support humanitarian activities, peace building and to build the capacity of the Haitian National Police.

Rwanda maintains over 700 police officers in eight peacekeeping missions. The missions are Mali, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, Abyei, Haiti, Liberia, Darfur and Sierra Leone.

RNP is also slated to send other two FPU contingents, one to South Sudan and the other to Central African Republic, before the end of the year.