PARAMARIBO — “I want to be close to society with my team.” This is what police chief Melvin Pinas said, who visited the Central and Peaceful Markets on Friday. The police boss wants to reduce the distance between the Suriname Police Corps (KPS) and society and has therefore started the ‘Kon Mit’ KC’ initiative.
The delegation departed from the Keizerstraat police station, where a briefing first took place and a visit to the nearby cell house. The team then headed to the markets on foot, where exhibitors shared their experiences and concerns. Pinas wants to come into direct contact with citizens through neighborhood visits to strengthen the relationship between the police and society, and gain insight into the safety issues within different neighborhoods through neighborhood conversations.
“There is a lot of intel within society that people want to share, if you go close to them, you see that they loosen up and then you get that information”
Afterwards, the Communications Service Suriname (CDS) spoke with the chief of police about the purpose of the visit and how the initiative should contribute to strengthening trust between the police and society. The police boss noted that there is reluctance among some market vendors to speak on camera. Together with his team, he wants to see how they can still be reached in an accessible way to share their experiences and concerns.
The police officer recalled that he had clearly indicated at the time of his appointment that he wanted to make a connection with society. He has noticed that there is a fear within the community, even though many people would like to talk to the chief of police. “And that’s why I said: ‘No, I’m going to the people,’” said the police boss.
Various conversations he has already had have shown that there are many issues within that society. “When you are with people, you see what concerns them and then you hear it right away as KC.” However, the chief of police concludes that the approach must also be different, as many people are afraid of cameras. “So we have to organize that properly,” he acknowledges.
According to the KC, society has a lot of information about punishable and criminal activities, but people do not want to be exposed because of possible reprisals. When certain information is obtained, it is immediately passed on to the relevant services, so that immediate action can be taken. “There is a lot of intel within society that people want to share, if you go close to them, you see that they loosen up and then you get that information,” said the police chief.
Another major issue is the issue of noise pollution due to music and especially from souped-up mopeds. According to Pinas, a policy has been put in place and the KPS storage facility is full of confiscated mopeds. However, this problem continues to persist and requires a thorough approach. Finally, the police boss calls on society to share important information with the KPS during neighborhood discussions and neighborhood visits.
