By: Nyima Sillah
The Gambia Police Force has said its personnel are now operating under democratic principles and government compare to previous regime.
Speaking to The Voice exclusively, Police spokesman Lamin Njie said: “The Gambia Police Force is operating under a democratic policing system, because the government is a democratic government compare to the previous regime.”
“When government is democratic, policing strategy need to be in line with the democratic culture of the people. We have to adapt to the same system as we understand that in the previous regime the culture was different from democratic culture. So, it is important that the police also adjust to this concept of democracy to be able to police people within a democratic system,” he added.
He disclosed that most of the policing operations now are democratic as people participate and have their say. This is due to the fact that “we want to listen to the voice of the people in the way and manner we are doing things and that brings a good feedback for us,” he said.
All this systems, he said, is part of democratic policing and it calls for people participation, partnering, and collaborating with the police. And also as well as the big concept of community policing which we want people to participate and take ownership of their own security safety.”
According to him, police have community structures in almost all the regions, districts, wards, with villages and part of those structures are to be security structures for the communities. He went on that it will enable youths and elders to be responsible for the security of their community and able to partner with the police in an organized way to deal with crime and criminal activities.
“These are all community strategy that we are encouraging and we hope in this 2021 people will get this message and start working hard in partnership with the police. We also want media to come in because disseminating information is very important especially right information which is gear towards enhancing security and also prevention of crimes,” he said.