STREET VENDING BECOMING A CONCERN FOR POLICE & CITY WARDENS

By Benjamin KOITAKA

STREET vending is becoming a major issue and a concern for the Police and City Wardens, whom are enforcing their designated measures to trying to keep the city clean, safe and beautiful for everyone to live safely and enjoy, says Operations Commander.

NCD Police and City Wardens Initiative Operations Commander Obert Jerry told media that street vending is becoming a big issue in the city especially at the bus stops, even City Wardens and Police are doing their best to remove, stop and even arrest the offenders, it is unbecoming of those so-called citizens living in the settlements to continue disobey orders.

Operations commander Jerry said they are working closely with general public and using their own initiatives to arrest and deal with those offenders accordingly.

Meanwhile, Jerry further added warned that main centres like Gordons and Boroko, they will continue do their daily operations, and if anyone caught doing illegal things, they will be arrested, charged and be fined.

Moreover, Police also note that bag snatching and some other illegal activities at some of the crime hot-spot areas in the city had gone down since the introduction of the City Wardens Initiative by Governor Parkop and the police Commander for NCD and Central Provinces Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Turi in November.

According to police records, there are few reports of bag snatching reported daily but are managed by the wardens at their respective areas of operations. Police officers who had been engaged to assist the wardens plus other police units had been very supportive to the wardens they had seen crime rate at the main bus stops decreasing.

Operation Commander Jerry, said they are looking for ways to better address these vending businesses at the bus stops, and find a solution for it.

Jerry said arrest had been made to some, and they will continue to do arrest when the vendors do not listen to awareness given to them.

He added that it’s very hard to deal with the people, especially those living at the settlements, because they do not have a proper residential address if they are caught once but are doing the same thing second time.

He said those who have proper residential addresses are easy for police to approach them and warn them, but for those who are residing at the drain sides or settlements. They escape when police arrive and come back and do the same the next day when the police are not around.

Jerry assured that the wardens are working closely to monitor those regular vendors who disobey orders and will be dealt with accordingly.

He said so far, the wardens around the city are doing a tremendous job, which the police management in NCD/Central Command are pleased with.

Operations Commander Jerry urged the general public for the support to keep the city clean, safe and beautiful for everyone.