Rwanda : Rwanda Police trained on environment law
The Deputy Director of REMA Eng. Collette Ruhamya, has called on the Rwanda national Police, as a law enforcement institution, to take the lead to protect the environment, as a part of its mission to ensure the safety of people and their property.
“Protecting the environment is also another way of preventing crimes which might also result from land wrangles, which are sometimes wetlands,” said Ruhamya.
Eng. Ruhamya made the remarks while officiating a training of police officers on the environment law. A group of 67 Police officers from Central and Eastern Regions of Rwanda have undergone a two day training aimed at equipping police officers with vast knowledge on environment law enforcement and management in the force.
She appealed to police and Community Policing Committees (CPCs) in particular, to work hand-in-hand with REMA to sensitize the community on environmental protection and enforce.
She asked the participants to convey the knowledge and experience acquired to the public and fellow officers to prevent land disputes by protecting the environment
The workshop kicked off on September 26, in Rwamagana district, Eastern province of Rwanda. The trained officers were from the departments of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Public Relations and Community Policing department (PR&CP) and Police Stations commanders, intelligence officers and District Community Liaison Officers (DCLO).
The training program was organized by Police, Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) as a way of joining efforts to protect the environment.
With this training, the officers will be able cover areas of environment and sustainable development, environmental policy and regulations in Rwanda, state of environmental and challenges and the environmental organic law including responsibilities, preventive provisions and sanctions.
They will also be in position to mobilize ways to protect wetlands, rivers, lakes and biodiversity, fight against use and sell polythene bags and other prohibited products, ozone protection and climate change and environmental inspection and role of police in the process.
The concerned institutions highlighted the need to protect the environment, which needs the contribution of the citizens and authorities to follow up the progress.
Spt. Theos Badege, the Acting Commissioner for PR & CP department thanked REMA for organizing seminar and lauded them for their continued support particularly in the area of capacity building.
