By Alieu Jallow
The Gambia Police Force has added nine brand-new L200 pickups and buffaloes to their fleet in a bid to enhance their ability to maintain peace and security within Gambian society.
This move reflects the force’s dedication to effectively carrying out their duties and ensuring the safety and well-being of the nation’s citizens.
The Police management stated that the introduction of these new vehicles comes at a crucial time when the Gambia Police Force is looking to strengthen its operational capabilities, especially in the face of evolving challenges such as combating crime, ensuring public safety, and responding to emergencies.
In his opening remarks, the Inspector General of Police, Seedy Muktarr Touray, highlighted the shortage of motor vehicles at police stations, anti-crime unit bases, and the police headquarters since he took office in mid-March of this year. He emphasized the critical role of motor vehicles in policing, stressing that mobility is essential for effective law enforcement.
“Through vehicular patrol, police officers can cover more grounds and longer distances without expending more energy. Response time to call for police assistance will be starting and quicker than when officers have to work or ride a bicycle to a crime scene or point of distress call,” he =said.
The police boss outlined that the nine vehicles, consisting of patrolling cars, will be strategically distributed across key regions within the country. This distribution strategy aligns with the police force’s vision of maintaining a strong and visible presence throughout the Gambia, contributing to a greater sense of security for all Gambians.
“With these four-wheel drive vehicles officers can easily access remote parts of the Gambia the police the communities and keep criminals at bay.”
Speaking on behalf of TK Motors, Musa Musa expressed gratitude to the Gambia Police Force for investing trust in their services. Additionally, Mr Musa outlined that the vehicles’ engines are all 2024 models.
“The vehicles are all model of 2024, and their engines are all diesel, and all that we require is for them to be maintained properly and to take care of them, and they will serve for quite a while, and we wish them the best of luck to the use of these vehicles,” he said.
On his part, Ansu Singhateh, representative of A and A Motors, expressed their commitment to continue providing the police with top-notch services and products to support the important work the police do in ensuring citizen safety.
“We are honoured to partner with the Gambia Police Force, and we hope these vehicles can serve their needs beyond all expectations. We will give you service free for 15000 km, and we would like you to respect the maintenance”.
The commissioning of these vehicles marks a significant milestone for the Gambia Police Force under the leadership of Commissioner Seedy Muktarr Touray. At the climax, the IGP and his senior management team inspected the vehicles.
