Mancha (third left) together with (from left) Lo and Lukas looking at a police drone as part of the exhibits during the community policing programme.
KUCHING (Aug 26): The community’s participation is key in preventing crimes from festering at the grassroots level, said Sarawak deputy police commissioner Dato Mancha Ata.
Speaking at a community policing programme at Kampung Semeba this morning, Mancha pointed out that cooperation between the public and police could further reduce the crime rate of an area.
“Our effort to bring down crime rates will be more effective together with the community, who can become the eyes and ears of the police,” he said.
He added the community should also be more responsible towards their own and others’ properties.
“This can prevent opportunities to any possible thieves or robbers on the prowl, especially to commit house break-ins or vehicle thefts. All of us should be more proactive, as these types of cases are in fact preventable,” he said.
Seeing the presence of various community leaders from other villages and districts at the programme, Mancha also hoped the advice given through the programme can be shared with their village folks.
Meanwhile, he said that among the crimes that know no boundaries are scams such as phone scams, Macau scams, loan scams and job scams where anybody can be a target of syndicates.
“Victims from these scams have lost a tremendous amount of money to these syndicates,” he said.
Touching on drugs, Mancha said each family, especially the head of the family, should take the time to monitor their children’s behaviour to avoid them from getting involved in drug-related activities.
“The community should inform the police of any crimes or suspicious activities in a village or residential area as it should be prevented early,” he said, adding that all the police wants is for people to live harmoniously without feeling insecure especially in their own homes.
Meanwhile, Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang who attended the talk hoped these crime prevention talks would inspire the people to play their part in their village’s safety.
Lo also called on local grassroots leaders and each Village Security and Development Committee to work together with the authorities to tackle social ills and criminal activity.
Also present were the programme’s organising chairperson SAC Lukas Aket, who is also Sarawak Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department head, Kampung Semeba village chief Thomas Gown and other community leaders from Padawan and Bau.