Council seeks clarity over police powers

Luanshya Town Clerk Moses Mwelwa says there is need for a clear cut mandatory agreement to define limits and the nature of operations of council and state police in their execution of duty.

Mr Mwelwa said this will clearly describe the location of both council and state police interventions and the manner in which the two security wings collaborate with each other as they execute their police duty.

In a statement to ZANIs in Luanshya June 25th, Mr Mwelwa noted that some interventions of the council police were also carried out in collaboration with the state police.

He stated that the role of the council police included protecting the local authority’s management, providing security, ensuring that law and order prevails at market places, bus stations, and other institutions under the local authority among others.

Mr. Mwelwa was speaking during the closure of the first 2015 Basic security and police course of Luanshya municipal council police officers.

The luanshya Town Clerk indicated that the training will culminate into the council’s improved service delivery to Luanshya residents, adding that the council police would now be efficient and effective in carrying out arrests as part of enforcing by-laws and handing over perpetrator to state police.

Luanshya Municipal Council police section is made up of fifty-four (54) municipality law enforcement officers who are under the control of the local government.