A LEAHN suppporter from the Tanzania Police Force, Inspector Abdallah Said Kirungu, has successfully overseen training of 1539 police in harm reduction at the Moshi Police Academy. A key component of the training, according to Inspector Abdallah, was to invite former drug users to explain some of the issues and challenges they face and to educate police about how drugs are used.
Of the 1539 police officers trained, 839 were police inspectors traveling from all over the country to attend the course. Inspector Abdallah attributes the successful police training to awareness being raised at the International Harm Reduction Conference in Vilnius, 2013.
Inspector Abdallah is optimistic about making progress with respect to educating both police and the international harm reduction community about the important role of law enforcement in harm reduction.
The above training on harm reduction was fantastic and peculiar; since myself I was among the facilitator and head of training delegate from Tanzania Police Force Hq,1539 police officers from the entire country got such education ;therefore it is the expectation such education will change the stereotype and negative connotation to drug users on harm reduction as well as to enhance community based policing. It is the room to maximize such training to law enforcement .
Happy to see all the very interested police officers! Congrats to all, special thanks to Doto, peer educator Medecins du Monde; Damali lucas, MdM Training and Resource Centre Officer; Ramadhan Abdalla MdM trainer;
its very good if law enforcement bodies will be involved in harm reduction program
Congratulations indeed to all those involved. Hopefully these training sessions are only the beginning of a very successful collaboration between the Tanzanian Police Force, Medecins du Monde and people who use drugs, that will ultimately result in changing the approach of Tanzanian law enforcement bodies towards drug using people and promoting harm reduction and health & rights based drug policies in the country.
It’s great to have all these comments about the great work being done in Tanzania! Police can make a difference in the community in so many ways and harm reduction is a great way for police to support some of the most vulnerable living in their local communities. Support from the police has flow on effects and really improves the lives of people in need and whom the police vow to protect. Please send through any new updates on progress in Tanzania so we can highlight the efforts of the police. We have a Tanzanian National LEAH Network page which we would love to fill with information in local language. Please send us any important documents so we can share them!
When we talk of accountability on drugs, harm reduction is a good intervention to rescue those using drugs and the community they live in.
Police themselves being a part of this community…
Pius
Thanks for your comment. Yes, police are part of the community and should work with others to implement evidence-based approaches to reduce the harms of drug use. Harm reduction is a great way to achieve this.