DALAT: The Community Policing Programme, which is actually a community-based disaster management apparatus, aims to enhance the ability of grassroots leaders to lead resilient communities.
An official from Mukah Division Resident Office, Maris Stella Stanley, explained that as such, the programme focused on empowering communities to assess their vulnerability to risks and threats such as disasters, and subsequently, build their capacity to respond with proper strategies and resources.
According to her, empowering the people was the sixth of seven National Security Council’s (MKN) exit strategy in dealing with Covid-19 pandemic.
“In empowering the people’s ability, it stresses on them as frontliners in facing any disasters such as Covid-19,” she said.
Maris was representing Mukah Division Resident Hamdiah Bakir at a Community Policing Dalat District Programme officiated by Tellian assemblyman, Yussibnosh Balo at Nanga Baoh near here on Sunday (Sept 13).
She said in the early stage of facing Covid-19, the frontliners comprised medical teams and security forces (police and army, civil defence force (APM) and People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela).
Maris explained that the two main groups played a leading role in containing Covid-19 pandemic by enforcing five strategies, namely strengthening public health, laws and enforcement, strengthening border control, opening of economic sector and the new normal.
She added in community policing, the government stressed on strategies in providing the ability to communities to play their role as frontliners after it had so long been shouldered by medical team and security forces.
Maris said through the workshop, community leaders and village development and security committees (JKKK) would be trained on how to enhance their abilities in leading the people to be resilient.
“It is also to enhance relationship and communications between the people and government agencies; identify which areas or individuals who are of high risk and are exposed and identify the types of risks or threats which might be faced by the people,” she added.
Thus, she said JKKKs were required to do mapping of community areas such as the areas where many people converged, border entry and exit points and available public facilities.
Maris pointed out that people-mapping covered population, age, special needs people (disabled, sick, old and others).
According to her, the data was very much needed so that JKKKs could contribute to the efforts of the government in effectively managing disasters such as Covid-19.
