LL Police Reduced Crime Rate By 2% in 2014
Police
in the Capital Lilongwe have in the year 2014 managed to reduce crime rate to a
difference of 337 cases representing 2% (police standard calculations) a
decline from 11.6% in 2013.
Sub
Inspector Kingsley Dandaula said in an interview that the decline is a comparison
of 8,735 cases in 2013 against 8,398 cases registered in 2014.
The
statistics shows the decline was mainly a successful reduction of road
accidents and general theft. Road accidents recorded in 2014 were reduced by
2.9% and General Theft cases were reduced by 0.16%.
Graph showing LL Police Trends between 2013-2014 |
“We
managed to reduce crime to this far because we intensified patrols both foot
and vehicle patrols during day and night in all strategic places like banks and
residential areas” explained Dandaula. “Traffic officers also in the period
under review intensified checks on unroad-worthy vehicles, drunk drivers and
our CID’s were also conducting patrols and raids”
Though
Lilongwe police managed to reduce overall crime rate to such percentage, but
some crimes registered an increase as compared to 2013 figures. Robbery cases grew
from 740 in 2013 to 915 cases in 2014 representing 0.88% (police standard
calculations). And cases of defilement have also registered an increase as well
as mob justice and burglary
“Some
of the cases showing an increase just need proper sensitization" said
Dandaula, "We now need to sensitise the general public more on dangers of
mob justice and work together with various stakeholders on sensitising the
public on evils of rape so that we should reduce these cases in 2015”
He
also pointed out that police have not done well mainly due to challenges of
poor funding resulting to scarcity of resources like money to buy fuel for
police vehicles, and lack of good condition vehicles that can be used to
respond to any call.
From
the new statistics Lilongwe Police is one of the station which has managed to
arrest most notorious criminals and recovered stolen property worth Millions of
Kwacha's during the year under review.
Lilongwe
police which is located at the centre of Malawi’s capital has two substations
namely Lingadzi and Kawale. It has also 3 posts and total of 22 police units in
both urban and rural areas. With current ratio of 1 police officer serving a
population of 2080 (1:2080) against recommended 1 police officer managing 1500
population (1:1500), Lilongwe Police is continuing to struggle manage security
situation due to the growing population in the capital as many people are
flocking into the city seeking for greener pasture a development which is
attracting theft and vandalism by armed robbers even from Malawi’s neighboring
countries.
Major Cases With Detailed Statistics
(Note: All
percentage calculations are based on police standard percentage.
Therefore all bracketed percentages are just a percentage change calculations)
8,735 cases
were recorded in 2013 against 8,395 in the same period of 2014 a decrease
of 337 representing 2% decrease (3.86%)
81 murder cases were recorded in
2013 against 100 cases in 2014 a decrease of 19 representing 0.1% increase
(23.46%)
4 cases registered in 2013 on mob
justice against 6 cases in 2014 a difference of 2 representing 0.01%
increase (50%)
On sexual
offences; 18 cases were reported in 2013 on rape against 29 cases in 2014 a
diference of 11 representing 0.06% increase (61.11%). And 69
defilement cases were reported in 2013 against 112 in 2014 a difference of
43 representing 0.22% increase (62.32%).
Burglary
registered 38 cases in 2013 against 57 in 2014 deference of
19 representing 0.10% increase (50%).
Robbery
cases increased from 740 cases in 2013 to 915 in 2014 a difference of 175
representing 0.88% increase (23.65%).
General
Theft registered 2477 cases in 2013 against 2446 in 2014 a difference of
31 representing 0.16% decrease (1.25%).
Road
accidents registered 2090 cases in 2013 against 2042 cases in 2014 a
difference of 48 representing 2.9% decrease (2.3%)