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Community policing initiatives set to start in Kismayo

Storyline:National News

Authorities in Kismayo have welcomed an initiative by the Police component of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), to commence community policing progams in the region.

A delegation from the AMISOM police unit led by Mr. Edwin Mugera, the police Public Information Officer, held a meeting with the district administration in Kismayo on Thursday, 26 November 2015, to discuss modalities of rolling out the program.

Senior Jubbaland administration officials attended the meeting, led by Kismayo District Commissioner Ibrahim Mohamed Yusuf, the Jubbaland Police Commissioner Colonel Mohamed Hassan Barre-Gabobe and several community leaders.

AMISOM Police has a mandate to support and mentor the Somali Police Force to enforce the basic rule of law principles, including community, counter-terrorism and public order management; using non-combat defence tactics in the provision of security. They also mentor Somali police on explosives disposal and support them in community policing initiatives.

The Kismayo District Commissioner Ibrahim Mohamed Yusuf said, “We are very delighted to see such kind of helpful programs and it is important to have community policing because in Kismayo we have never had such programs before. Thank you AU police for including us in this initiative.”

Colonel Mohamed Hassan Barre-Gabobe, the Jubbaland Police Commissioner expressed enthusiasm at the initiative. “We, as Jubbaland police are ready to play a great role in community policing of the region. This is very important program which the people of Jubbaland need. So, thank you AU police for this good idea,” he stated.

The meeting ended with an action plan from the two partners.
“Today, we assembled in Kismayo to discuss community engagement with the Jubbaland police, the district commissioner and representatives of the Jubbaland community, ahead of an upcoming community sensitization initiative. What came out vividly from the engagement was the positivity of the administration about the initiative and the enthusiasm by the Jubbaland police to implement the community-policing initiatives,” PIO Mugera summarised the highlights of the meeting.

Kismayo will be among the first regions to adopt community policing after successful programmes in Mogadishu, spearheaded by Somali Police Force, in partnership with AMISOM Police.