Tjiveze calls for more police recruitments in Otjozondjupa
OTJIWARONGO – The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Otjozondjupa Regional Police Commander has called for the recruitment of more police officers in the region, as the policing structure is currently understaffed.
Commissioner Heinrich Tjiveze made the call while addressing a meeting of station commanders in the region, which was also attended by NamPol’s Inspector-General, Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga.
He revealed that a total of 1 883 vacant police posts in the Otjozondjupa Region need to be filled. He highlighted that the region is supposed to have 2 992 police officers, as per the approved structure, but so far only operates with 1 109 police officers of which 619 are males and 490 females who serve a population of over 150 800, including Outjo residents in the Kunene Region who fall under him. “Besides these setbacks in human resources, crime in our region is manageable and under control at the moment,” reported Tjiveze. He continued by saying that regular crimes like stock theft, road accidents, domestic gender-based violence, assault and housebreakings are usually reported at nearly all police stations. Ndeitunga on his part attributed the general challenges to the budgetary constraints experienced in the whole force. “But then if the situation is like that, it is for you as police station commanders to strategise around your policing activities by joining your district operations to reduce crimes in hot spots,” he advised. Otjozondjupa has 26 police stations where 120 police officers - 48 females and 72 males were promoted in February this year. Ndeitunga further warned that police officers, who are lazy, inefficient and operate with a localised mindset will in future be redeployed to other police stations. NamPol’s Deputy Inspector-General for Operations, Major-General Oscar Embumbulu also attended the meeting. -