NCD Governor Powes Parkop and NCDC convened a high-level collaboration on Tuesday with the city’s police command, ACP Anthony Wagambie Jr and Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu to support their initiative to arrest the recent increase in petty crimes at Gordons and Erima.
In his report, the Met Sup Ikumu stated that crime has decreased in most parts of the city due to greater police presence and patrolling. However, Gordons and Erima continue to require short-term and long-term measures to assist the police in deterring and arresting crime.
Governor Parkop said: “Unemployment, urban migration, growing population and the slow-down in the economy are some of the big factors that are contributing to these social tensions. This issue has to be arrested immediately or it will become a greater problem for the city and the country. We cannot allow petty crimes to dictate life in the city.”
ACP Wagambie Jr stressed on the importance of the community taking ownership and helping the police identify these criminal elements. He cited the success of the Koki Community Watch programme as a model which can be followed at Erima too.
While acknowledging the manpower challenge (1 policeman/woman for every 2000 people), the ACP commended the NCDC Urban Safety units for partnering with the police in the last few months during the Covid-19 enforcement operations.
Met Sup Ikumu spoke of simple measures like better traffic management, road diversions and roundabouts to counter the hold-ups that frequently happen at traffic lights.
The city’s municipal authorities offered their complete support in terms of road planning and revamping of notorious bus-stops like at Gordons.
Governor Parkop has offered to the police in the immediate the following intervention:
1. To build a police post in the Erima area to be manned by police supported by NCDC reserved police;
2. Sponsoring 2 marked police vehicles for mobility and visibility in these problem areas;
3. Closure of the traffic lights at Erima on a trial basis to allow traffic to flow, and;
4. Initiate a community neighbourhood watch at the Erima and Gordons area;
In the medium to long term Governor Parkop had offered the following solutions:
1. Installing CCTV cameras in partnership with the local business community;
2. Build a bypass at the back of the Jackson’s Airport to link the ATS Road to Jackson’s Parade;
3. Fast track the upgrading of the Wildlife Road and link it with Pitpit Street so as to help reduce the traffic jam during the peak hours, and;
4. Fast track the construction of a new bus-stop at Gordon’s Police Barracks.
Other long term measures, including dealing with the settlements will be announced later.
