Rwanda National Police

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Teddy Ruyenzi, the Commissioner for Community Policing, on Tuesday, June 30, concluded a three-month Training of Trainers (ToT) course for Community Policing Committees (CPCs) in the City of Kigali, equipping participants with skills to strengthen community policing and crime prevention.

The training was conducted nationwide under the annual Defence and Security Citizen Outreach Programme (DSCOP 2026), a joint initiative of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) that promotes public safety and community development.

It was conducted in participants' respective districts and attended by about 1,500 CPC members, including good governance representatives, District Community Policing Officers (DCPOs), Regional Community Policing Officers (RCPOs), District Administration Security Support Organ (DASSO) coordinators, and Youth Volunteer representatives.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, ACP Ruyenzi said effective policing depends on close cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public.

"Community safety is a shared responsibility between citizens and law enforcement agencies. In Rwanda, Community Policing Committees play a critical role in linking communities with the police to ensure timely reporting of security concerns," she said.

ACP Ruyenzi noted that CPCs are responsible for identifying security concerns, encouraging citizens to report crimes and suspicious activities, gathering credible information, reporting incidents to the nearest police stations, and following up on reported cases.

She said that strengthening the capacity of committee members will further improve community participation in preventing crime and responding to emerging security challenges.

The participants gained knowledge and practical skills to train their fellow members of Community Policing Committees in their respective communities, helping to strengthen community policing nationwide.

Superintendent of Police SP (Rtd) Ruboneza Nkorerimana, Head of the Security Policy and Standards Department in the Ministry of Interior, urged CPC members to strengthen efforts aimed at preventing crimes by working closely with security organs and citizens.

He highlighted that crimes such as theft, assault, drug- and alcohol-related offences and domestic violence remain challenges in some communities, leading to wider social problems, including unintended pregnancies and school dropouts.

SP (Rtd) Ruboneza further encouraged CPC members to use the knowledge gained from the training to educate others and play an important role in preventing and fighting crime at the village and cell levels.

The Training of Trainers programme is expected to strengthen the capacity of Community Policing Committees across the country and deepen cooperation between security organs and citizens in promoting safer and more secure communities.