Tag: curb crime

Police implements 100 day road-map to strengthen service

Police have established a 100 day road-map and have started implementing it in order to strengthen the work of police and to gain the trust of the people.

The road-map is based on four main strategies which seek to increase and enhance operational activities, conduct activities to curb crime, enhance and hasten investigations, and improve the police institution.

Police stated that when the road-map’s aims are achieved, they will be able to provide a safe environment for citizens, to gain the trust of the people and also to provide services to the people more closely. They also noted that it will make police officers more able to work using the available tools and established infrastructure.

80 percent of the investigations filed with police are intended to be completed and sent to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) office as part of enhancing and hastening investigations.

Police have also decided to conclude investigations into crimes other than those of a serious or organised nature in 30 days.

In addition to this, police have said they will share their data link with the Drug Court, the Criminal Court and the PG’s Office.

To achieve the second strategy – increasing and enhancing operational activities – police will follow proactive policing to determine criminals before they commit the crime and conduct intelligence-led special operations.

During the 100 days the police will increase the amount of CCTV cameras in Male’ to 150 and install cameras in Addu City at five different locations.

To accomplish the strategy to curb crime, police will conduct campaigns to raise awareness and to protect victims of child abuse, and will print out leaflets to make people aware of crimes. It will also launch a handbook about the work of the force’s forensic department.

Police said they will also conduct programs to train boat captains, to open job opportunities for youths, and to establish a crime prevention committee.

The road-map also includes sending officers abroad to learn to research ballistic evidence and introducing new ways to investigate complaints about police officers.

Furthermore, building 10 more cells in Dhoonidhoo Police Custodial centre where persons arrested for investigation are detained and building a detention facility for minors were included in the 100 day road-map.

Police have also decided to conclude testing of suspicious drugs within three days and to conduct three special operations to curb the illegal businesses of drug and alcohol.

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Police appeal for public assistance in locating stabbing suspect

Police have appealed for public assistance in locating a person identified as Sharufan Abdul Razzaq Ahmed, 19 of Lonumidhilige [house] in Maafannu Ward.

On May 27 police issued a statement informing the public they were seeking to question Razzaq regarding a recent stabbing, but had been unable to locate or determine his whereabouts.

Police alleged that on May 18 at 3:25 pm  Razzaq together with some other persons stabbed two people near the junction where Chanbeyly Magu meets Haveeree Hingun.

Police said Razzaq was needed for the police investigation into the case, and stated that any person who disclosed information about his whereabouts would receive protection as required by law.

Local media has reported that the 18 and 21 year-old victims were hospitalised following the attack.

The 18 year-old received injuries to his chest, back and other parts of the body while he 21 year-old suffered injuries to his back.

The media reports say that Razzaq has a previous criminal record, after he allegedly entered Nalahiya Manzil House in Henveiru Ward in 2010 January with a companion and stabbed a person inside the house.

That case is now in Prosecutor General’s Office waiting to be forwarded to the court for trial.

Progess of special task force

Police have also said that the police special task force established to curb gang related crimes occurring in Male’ had arrested seven people.

Police said four were persons police were looking for in connection with a recent stabbing incident.

In a statement issued to update information about the special operation, police said they had searched areas related to gang activities 960 times, and stopped and searched 290 persons.

Police also established vehicle check points in different areas of Male’ and searched 651 vehicles. 29 licenses were held for traffic violations.

Police said they would continue to stop and search people out late at night, or on the streets in the early hours of the morning.

Police recently arrested 11 persons for alleged involvement in a stabbing attack at the ‘Home X’ store in the capital on May 19, that hospitalised one male victim.

Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz  told local media that members of the taskforce were now searching for 50 “high-profile” suspects alleged to have had involvement with gang-related activities.

“They are a threat to the society. We consider everyone who has not been punished for a crime they have  committed as a criminal at large,” he was quoted by local newspaper Haveeru as saying.

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Police arrest nine in Male’ during 24-hour special operation

The Maldives Police Service has said nine individuals were arrested during a recent 24 hour special operation conducted to try and curb crime rates in Male’.

In a statement, police said that the special operation, designed to try and make the capital more peaceful, was conducted between December 15 to December 16 – leading to the arrest of the nine men for a number of different offences.

Authorities have said that 359 persons were questioned in the capital during the operation, while 13 body searches were conducted over the 24 hour period.

Police reported that one case of theft, one case of robbery, three road accidents, one drug related crime and other seven cases were reported while the operation was going on.

Another key focus of the special operation was said to involve ensuring vehicles were being operated according to local regulations, law enforcement officials have said.

According to police, vehicle check points were therefore established at different areas of Male’ during the operation. 383 vehicles were checked during the operation.

Police stated that officers have also questioned individuals and groups deemed to be roaming around the capital without any purpose during the operation, which was conducted between Male’ City Police, Specialist Operations [SO] and Traffic Police.

Police powers

On December 4, during a press conference to give details of the investigation in to the death of late MP and Religious Scholar Dr Afrasheem Ali, Commissioner of Police Abdulla Riyaz called on parliament members to not hesitate in giving more powers to the police. Riyaz said at the time that such powers were required to curb growing criminal activities within Maldivian society.

“I know that members of the parliament are hesitant to grant more powers to the police because of the political views they hold. But we need stricter laws to stop such acts from happening. Hesitance to grant more powers isn’t a solution for police discrepancies. Powers should be granted and at the same time they can establish a proper accountability mechanism,” he said at the time.

The commissioner said that police would have “zero tolerance” towards criminals and would utilise all powers and resources at hand in preventing crimes.

“That means, we will not allow a drunkard to freely wander around the street. Police officers will question suspicious people on the road and they have been given the order to stop and search anyone who they feel is suspected of being a criminal or carrying out a crime,” he said.

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