A bill board mounted at Mokowe in Lamu after the launch of security campaign at the Coast on Monday. (Photo/Maxwell)
A security campaign meant to bridge the gap between locals and the police at the coast has been launched.
The campaign spearheaded by a peace and security Non-governmental organization ‘Kenya Community Support Centre-KECOSCE’ will see several bill boards with security information mounted in various towns at the Coast.
According to the Organization’s Executive Director Phyllis Muema, the security awareness campaign is already being implemented in all the six counties at the Coast and in Garissa County as well.
Speaking on Monday at the KECOSCE offices in Kisimani area within Mombasa County, Muema said that several bill boards have been mounted in Lamu, Tana River Kilifi and Mombasa to encourage locals to report to police any suspicious character.
Muema said that apart from bearing messages aiming at developing better working relationship between police officers and the public, the bill boards will also bear several police contacts for a that particular county and all the emergency response telephone lines.
“We are focusing our efforts on Lamu county following series of Al-shabab attack in the county, we want the public to volunteer information that will enable police destabilize the terror group,” said Mrs. Muema.
She appealed to the public to always volunteer information that will help police curb insecurity in the region.
She said that without forging a proper working relationship with the police, the region will experience more insecurity incidences.
“We have discovered that most of the criminals live among us but we fear disclosing information to the police,” she added.
She went on “Most likely some of the suspect are our close relatives and we always protect them forgetting that they will as well harm us”.
The KECOSCE Executive Director however appealed to police to have different approach on fighting insecurity and encouraging locals to volunteer information without fear but always protect locals who will provide important security information.