POLICE in Muharraq are forging closer links with the community as part of a drive to ensure law and order.
Officers will be attending meetings of the Muharraq Municipal Council to build stronger ties with elected officials.
They are also taking courses on how to detect municipal violations, in an effort to stamp out unlicensed street activities.
The GDN reported in April that police in Muharraq dealt with 224 street begging cases in 2017, a figure that dropped to 41 last year and 18 in the first six months of 2019.
However, Muharraq Police Directorate director general Brigadier Fawaz Al Hassan said an increased community focus had resulted in police detecting hundreds of municipal violations in the past few months.
They include illegal street vendors, some of whom were peddling alcohol and other contraband including tobacco.
“Muharraq is Bahrain’s well-known tourist destination and we have to be neat and clean in all respects,” Brigadier Al Hassan told the Interior Ministry’s Al Amn magazine.
“It is important to involve municipal councillors, so that they are aware of what we are doing and move within their constituents to spread the message.
“In yet another first, policemen and policewomen are being trained on how to detect municipal violations.
“These courses are being conducted by the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry – and it will teach officers to detect contracting violations and other things.
“This is necessary because police aren’t trained to spot such violations. We not only aim to put a stop to illegal activity, but the idea is to make the whole of Muharraq safe and secure for the community.”
Police in Muharraq’s public complaints office handled 3,322 cases last year, 775 of which related to residential and domestic issues.
Complaints
“These included 111 vehicle parking disputes, 290 public safety complaints, 114 related to health and safety and 109 consumer protection issues,” he stated.
“In addition, there were 435 cases of security concern and 555 financial claims.”
Meanwhile, he revealed police were also focused on tackling activities such as illegal advertising.
“There was a concerted drive against illegal advertising,” he said.
“Advertising flats, rooms and shops for rent, as well as plastering walls with posters and announcements, is not permitted.
“We had several teams out removing such advertising and, in many cases, those responsible have been contacted and warned.”
A total of 460 advertising violations have been detected during the ongoing drive, 205 of which were removed voluntarily and 255 removed by the council.
Action has also been taken against shops caught selling contraband items, people illegally operating as taxi drivers and those who unlawfully modify vehicles.
“Vehicles that make a lot of noise, particularly motor cycles whose engines have been tinkered with, have been seized and violators referred to the traffic authorities,” he added.
Visits
“Teams from the community police have also visited Ramadan tents recently and took feedback from those gathering there and we have chalked out a plan to implement certain things in collaboration with various departments to make like comfortable, while also contributing to a neater, more beautiful Muharraq.”
People can contact the public complaints office in Muharraq during office hours on 17337024.
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