Botswana Police has realised an increase in crime by 20% between the year 2021 and 2022.
This was said by the Acting Police Commissioner Phemelo Ramakorwane last week during the annual Senior Police Officers Conference in Gaborone.
The conference was held under the theme, “Modern Policing: New Realities Towards Safe and Secure Communities,”
Ramakorwane said there is an increase of crime like drug abuse, stock theft, robberies, home invasions, Gender Based Violence related crimes which includes rape, defilement and threat to kill and high number of missing persons.
“We have extended SSG support in addressing home invasions, which are prevalent around the Gaborone area, extending to the southern part of the country. These enforcement efforts and initiatives will continue to feature as priority deliverables in our current policing agenda,” said Ramakorwane.
The Acting Commissioner said the increase of crime was expected upon returning to normalcy following the lifting of all Covid-19 restrictions.
He committed to continue strengthening Botswana Police crime counter strategies and programmes, with an aim of achieving crime reduction.
On Road Safety, the Acting Commissioner said the situation remains volatile in Botswana.
He said despite having recorded notable decreases in road traffic accidents and resultant fatalities, during the 2021/2022 period.
“A review of the national road safety situation for the year 2022 as compared to 202 depicts an increase of 3.8% in traffic violation (from 338 131 to 351 046), with speeding, driving without license and drunken driving, having contributed significantly to this increase. To this end, general road accidents went down by 5.1% (from 17 277 in 2021 to 16404) and road fatalities by 2.2% (from 413 to 404),” he added
