The idea of a station management committee in Sophia has been floated by Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee in order to improve relations between the police and residents.
This was reported by GINA following a meeting between the minister and residents of Section B, Sophia on Sunday at the Pattensen Multi-purpose Centre.
The Sophia Mothers Action Group on Social Issues had met Rohee recently at his ministry where they aired their concerns, leading to the meeting.
GINA said the residents raised questions concerning the completion of the community centre, the removal of dirt from along the roadside and the community’s relationship with the police in the area.
In response to the community’s concern regarding the police, Rohee reportedly indicated that a station management committee could be established, consisting of influential persons from the community, to work along with the police to improve their relationship.
Rohee is reported as saying that it was rare for an entire community not to support law and order and that it was a small number of people who engage in deviant acts and use fear to intimidate others.
He encouraged the mothers’ group to be ambassadors of peace and security against those who are bent on being deviant assuring the group that his ministry would support them in their work, GINA said.
In relation to the deviant behaviour of youths in the community, Rohee was quoted as saying: “bad company can change a person’s behaviour and also a lack of parental supervision.”
Additionally, life situations such as being in a single-parent home restrict parental supervision, which can result in the manifestation of deviant behaviour, GINA reported the minister as saying.
He added that recently a decision was taken to have males between the ages of 14 and 25 who are imprisoned, relocated to another facility where they would not be engaging with hard-core criminals. This initiative is intended to facilitate the reformation of the youths.