The festive
season in Bulawayo is normally characterised by an inevitable surge in movement
and criminal activity as tens of thousands of people travel back home from
neighbouring countries such as South Africa, Botswana and Namibia for the
holidays.
The number of
social gatherings at this time of the year surges while the consumption rate of
alcohol also rises.
Authorities
have already launched an intensive, nationwide security and traffic enforcement
campaign that will be ably assisted by drone technology to suppress
skyrocketing crime rates, drastically curb catastrophic road carnage and
maintain civil stability over a period traditionally marked by heightened
public travel and social disruption.
In Bulawayo the
“eyes in the sky” will feed police with real time surveillance at the touch of
a button from the ZRP Command Centre as officers take a “zero-tolerance
approach” to lawlessness while more officers are set to saturate highways,
urban centres and critical points across the city.
From the police
command centre authorities will be able to monitor activities in suburbs as far
as Emganwini, Cowdray Park, Emakhandeni, Pumula, Richmond, Queens Park and
Mqabuko Heights, among others and deploy police officers on the ground to deal
with situations that require human interventions.
The drones can
be operated within a radius of 20 kilometres from the police command centre,
according to national police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
He told Sunday
News in an exclusive interview at Ross Camp on Friday that the police are
utilising the latest technology at its disposal to fight crime and ensure
public safety this festive season.
“The drones
being used by police can do surveillance in a 20-kilometre radius from the
command centre and they will be used in the fight against crime this festive
season in major cities such as Harare and Bulawayo,” said Comm Nyathi.
“Most of the
areas in Bulawayo are already being monitored using the drones technology
coupled with the smart policing technology, which is now fully operational in
the city’s Central Business District.
“Our drone
technology is something that the public must not take for granted because ZRP
is now able to monitor activities on the ground in real time. We are now able
to monitor criminal activity movements using the technology at our disposal.
“The ZRP
assures Zimbabweans and visitors during this festive season that police have
already been deployed on the ground and the drone technology is in full use.
“The festive
season brings with it its own set of challenges such as road traffic accidents
that result in the loss of life and injuries. ZRP is appealing to motorists to
prioritise road safety. There is no need for drivers to be in a hurry and put
the lives of others in danger. Drivers must observe road rules and regulations
and the first thing on their minds should be road safety at all times.”
Comm Nyathi
said road-unworthy vehicles will be impounded.
“We will
impound any vehicle that is not road worthy to be ferrying passengers or goods.
Police will also take action against drivers that will be driving under the
influence of alcohol,” he warned.
“It’s important
to make it clear that technology such as body cameras, which are at our
disposal, will be used to bring to book anyone breaking the law.”
All the
country’s provinces have been equipped with breathalysers to weed out drunken
drivers from the roads, said Comm Nyathi.
“So far ZRP has
taken delivery of 100 breathalysers and more are still coming so all the
provinces will be using them to deal with drivers driving under the influence
of alcohol. We are saying its game on for drunken drivers this festive season,”
said Comm Nyathi.
Police have
also warned homeowners that will be travelling for the holidays to avoid
posting information on social media that can alert criminals about their
absence from home, potentially exposing the properties to break-ins.
“Police are
concerned about a growing trend where people post personal and private
information on social media, which is then exploited by criminals. It’s not
necessary for people to post information about their whereabouts such as
pictures of families in holiday resorts, which is then used by criminals to
target their homes,” he said.
“We had an
incident last year here in Bulawayo where a family that was hosting a party
shared that information on social media and they were attacked with knives and
other weapons by a gang of criminals.
“The festive
season is a time to enjoy with family and friends but we call on citizens to be
responsible and stay vigilant.” Sunday News
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