Guns to be bought for every police officer this year

The time has come for every police officer to carry a fire arm, the Minister of Defence and Security, Thomas Kagiso Mmusi has said.

The minister wants his wishes to be implemented as soon as possible, to be exact, before the end of current financial year 2023-2024.

Speaking in Palapye where police officers were celebrating their efforts and successes in curbing crime in the country, Mmusi shared how he has been telling Acting Commissioner of Police Phemelo Ramakorwane that he wants to see all officers carrying guns so that they stop people from doing as they please.

Mmusi said without firearms, their uniform as cops is incomplete. “I believe that the uniform that the cops are wearing is not complete. I want that by the end of this financial year, I should have bought them complete uniform,” he said.

The minister’s talk about buying guns for cops was met with a loud roar of applause indicating that cops are in agreement with what he was saying.

Mmusi went on to explain that the reason he wants cops to have guns is because people are getting too disrespectful.

“We have to stop issues of people seeing our Kgosi and speaking to them anyhow they like. We want investors here, we want Batswana to be safe with their belongings,” he said.

He shared how recently a Motswana bought themselves a brand new Land Cruiser vehicle and it has since been stolen by thieves, and the last they heard, the car was in Zimbabwe.

“We need to stop such things so we are going to do everything in our power to protect Batswana and their belongings. We have no peace; after retiring, one buys cattle and someone comes and steals all that from them.

“This is the reason why we have Anti Stock Theft Unit. We will continue to reinforce it countrywide. We will work 24 hours, we do not want to be impoverished by thieves,” the minister said.

In Gaborone the police will increase Safer City cameras so that even at times when the police are not doing patrols, there will be surveillance to help them locate stolen goods.

Mmusi assured that Safer City cameras will soon reach other towns and villages because they acknowledge the importance of using technology to curb crime. He added that they are also eyeing drones.

He expressed gratitude to government’s commitment to supporting the police saying intention is to build 28 police stations across the country and the stations will be equipped with accommodation for cops and enough vehicles to attend

to cases effectively.

“When I arrived in the ministry, recruitment of police officers was 100-200 per year but when I arrived, 1000 police officers graduated, but because of escalating crime cases, 1000 people will now be recruited to join Botswana Police Services this year. This shows how government is committed to bringing peace and stability in the country.”