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Police Reform – 1998

There were still many human rights abuses by police, who were also found to be involved in corruption. Nevertheless, the reform programs had some positive impact on the organizational capacity of the PRM. The PRM expelled 322 policemen from its ranks for ‘incorrect behavior’ between November 1997 and November 1998. The General Commander of the PRM was able to report the following police successes over the same one-year period:

· 22,942 registered crimes, down from the 23,528 the previous year.

· The dismantling of 152 ‘criminal gangs’ (including livestock rustlers, armed robbers and drug dealers) and confiscation from gang members of 185 pistols and 274 kg of narcotics.

· The discovery of 52 arms caches, resulting in the destruction of 1,107 firearms (including 504 AK-47 rifles), 33 mortars, 43 rocket-propelled grenade launchers and 320 grenades, 95 landmines, 202 hand grenades, and over 50,000 rounds of ammunition.¹

1. Ibid., 178.