Tourism protection unit moved to Inspector General’s Office - nbc

Описание: The Inspector General of the police has announced that the Tourism Protection Subdivision will, with immediate effect, be transferred to the Office of the Inspector General.

According to Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, the change comes after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah last week raised alarm over the reported increase of crimes against tourism.

Lieutenant General Shikongo says the police can no longer entertain the fact that crimes against tourists are attracting national attention.

In January, Canada and Germany cautioned their citizens who intend to travel to Namibia, saying that there is an upward trend in crimes against tourists.

And just last week, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also raised alarm on the issue.

The police chief says it is time to act and has taken control of the Tourism Protection Subdivision.

Shikongo says there is a need for enhanced and coordinated protection of tourists and to ensure improved command and control at the national level.

He said the move is intended to strengthen coordination across the country's 14 regions and to ensure a uniform operational approach in the protection of tourists, tourism infrastructure, and tourism-related state sites.

"The Tourism Protection Sub-division is a specialised law enforcement office established to safeguard tourists, tourism infrastructure, and the overall image of the national tourism industry. Its primary mandate is to prevent, investigate, and respond to crimes affecting visitors and tourism-related services. The subdivision ensures a secure and welcoming environment for both domestic and international tourists through rapid response, professional investigations, stakeholder cooperation, and proactive crime prevention initiatives."

The police chief spoke about crime and public safety, saying he does not want to continue receiving reports of robberies, road accidents and fatalities, particularly involving tourists.

He said crime should not become part of Namibian society and called on the police and the public to invest in other priorities rather than allowing crime to dominate national attention.

Veteran police officer Chief Inspector Christina Van-Dunem Da Fonsech was appointed with immediate effect as the head of the tourism protection directorate.

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