Govt pledges to provide internet services to rural police officers

GOVERNMENT says it will provide rural police officers with Internet services to improve the security of dockets and promote efficient service delivery.

This was revealed in the Zimbabwe Republic Police Horizon 2025 document, which maps out the police force’s strategic plan for the next five years.

The police decried manual management of information, saying it created difficulties in retrieving information, and resulted in loss and destruction of important information.

On Tuesday at a post-Cabinet media briefing, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government would provide gadgets and connectivity to digitise rural police stations to implement the Home Affairs ministry’s integrated management system.

She said the digitisation programme will be implemented through the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz).

“Focus will be on smart policing, which involves the movement of dockets from the police to the court system, and finally the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS),” Mutsvangwa said.

“In addition, the stations will have their bandwidth subscription for 12 months paid for in full. The initiative will also see the ZRP, local authorities and other security services being connected to the Smart Transport and Traffic Management System. This will enable easy identification and follow-up of traffic offenders and their sanctioning.”

She said a pilot study had already been completed.

Government also announced that it has already begun the process of establishing virtual courts in partnership with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), which will result in the installation and use of a video conferencing system at all courts and prisons in the country.

“Cabinet invites the public to note that digitalisation of systems is targeted at eliminating corruption at the institutions through reduction of human interface as well as advancing the country’s ease of doing business programme,” Mutsvangwa said adding that all costs will be borne by government.