UK funding course on "Community Policing and Gender-Based Violence" in Namibia
On 9 February, at the Patrick Iyambo Police College, Windhoek, a 5 day course on "Community Policing and Gender-Based Violence" commenced.
Chief Inspector Jona Nairlenge, Acting Commandant Patrick Iyambo Police College, Commissioner Hilma Tweya, gender and Welfare Department, HE Marianne Young, UK High Commissioner, Sally Crown and Neville Blackwood, College of Policing, Bramshill, UK.
Today, on Monday 09 February 2015, HE Marianne Young, British High Commissioner, and NamPol Commissioner Hilma Tweya, Gender ad Welfare Department, opened a 5 day course for 26 Namibian police officers and neighborhood watches at the Patrick Iyambo Police College.
The course is focusing on “Community Policing and Gender-Based Violence. The course is being conducted by British experts from the College of Policing, Bramshill, UK, and is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office through the bilateral fund.
The course covers a wide range of topics, among them special training on: - the nature of gender-based violence and its impact on the victim, family and wider community - why gender-based violence is a police responsibility - how to address the needs of victims, including where to go for support and advice - how to risk assess and safety plan - how to respond effectively to allegations of abuse - crime scene management, investigative interviewing, allocation of resources, case preparation and - the importance of working in partnership with other law enforcement agencies (prosecution, courts, prisons), social care, health etc.
The UK has been assisting and funding Community Policing projects in Namibia since 2011. The pilot project was done in Windhoek, which proved extremely successful. By 2013, crime figures in the areas of operation had dropped by 30% since the introduction of community policing practices.