Tanzania: We Need Linkages - Police Deputy Chief

THE Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO) plans to establish an electronic system that would link the police and immigration departments to share information on suspects on the "watch list" for effective curbs on crimes.

The Deputy Inspector General of the Police Tanzania (DIGP), Abdulrahman Kaniki said the move would facilitate the International Police (INTERPOL) to easily identify and arrest criminals within the member states and non-members alike.

Police deputy chief Kaniki made the remarks at Bagamoyo, Coast Region yesterday when he graced the opening of a two-day SARRPCCO Technical Organs Annual Meeting which brought together members of technical organs, senior police officers, Directors of Criminal Investigation (DCI) s, legal, women and training experts.

Further, he cited lack of competent and committed skilled personnel in the field of forensic sciences among challenges holding back efficiency in dealing with criminals, mainly timely arrival at scenes of crime and timely execution of cases in courts of laws - all of which suffer from lack of well trained and committed offers who could professionally collect and present the evidence before the courts.

Tanzania: We Need Linkages - Police Deputy Chief

Top of the agenda were: Regional Crime Patterns and Trends; Establishment of an Electronic System to link the Police and Immigration and Combating Violent Crimes.

"Fighting organised crime is not an easy task, since criminals are organised to disturb the peace and security of the entire society in the regions. Now it is upon you the technical experts in crime solving to lead the deterrence measures to terminate criminals within and beyond the borders," he said.

He added "I urge you to make the best use of your knowledge to come up with a clear picture of crimes in our region and make recommendations that will help us curb crimes,".

He also cited other challenges facing SARPCCO members as inadequate funds budgeted for police activities that hinder the key Criminal Investigation Department (CID) operations: detection, investigation, arresting and prosecutions.

He mentioned other challenges as the delay or untimely exchange of criminal information and intelligence which also hold back the fight against criminals and criminality in individual countries.

Addressing the same occasion, the Head of Regional Bureaus (RB) and SARPCCO Coordinator, Mr Mubita Nawa said the challenges of drug and human trafficking were rising across the region, and that this called for more harmonised and tailor-made strategies and activity plans to curb the menace.

He said human trafficking, particularly for body parts, was appalling and called for urgent attention to rid the region of the crime - saying the crime "is traumatising ... to say the least."