Fighting Crime: YGN Gov’t Gives More Fund For Community Policing

The Yangon Region Government provided 80 million kyat to Yangon Region Police Force implementing community based policing for rule of law and crime reduction in 8 townships on Friday.

With the approval of Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein, Yangon Region Police Force began community based in 4 townships as pilot project from June 6th to July 13th.

It was then extended to 8 townships from August 1st to 30th. 

The newly approved budget will be spent to 8 townships to strengthen community based policing efforts, which were able to reduce crime rate from 33 to 27 major cases since September, police said. 

Community based policing is currently implemented in 20 out of 44 townships in Yangon, where crime rate is the highest, according to Police Major Hla Wai of Yangon Region Police Force.

Police Major, Yangon Region Police Force, Hla Wai: These 20 townships have the highest crime rate and most populated in Yangon Region. So if we can control them very well, it can be said we can control the rest of the crimes in the whole region. As the rest of the townships are familiar with neighboring policing for example in Sate Gyi Kha Naung To and Kawt Hmue, crimes rate are less compared to those townships.    

More people seem to participate more in attaining the goals of community policing. 

Town’s Elder, Thingangyun Township, Khin Wai: Because of community based policing, crimes are decreasing and it can reduce the public worries gradually. So it helps and encourages the state’s peace and stability, I think.

The Yangon Region Government has so far allotted 200 million kyat to Yangon Region Police Force for community based policing.