Security measures implemented to tackle crime in Morocco

02/12/2007

With crime on the rise in Morocco’s cities, the government has acted to reassure the public by adopting a raft of new security measures.

By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 02/12/07

[Sarah Touahri] Benmoussa said the government has stepped up police efforts to guarantee a police presence throughout the country.

Crime in Morocco has risen slightly, according to the latest statistics released by the Interior Ministry. In the first few months of 2007 it was up 13% over the same period in 2006. Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa is working to allay public fears; in an address before Parliament on Wednesday (November 28th) he said the government is taking all measures necessary to tackle the phenomenon in urban areas.

Police stations recorded some 240,000 complaints in cities over the first three quarters of 2007, 90% of which were followed up. These cases concerned offences against public decency and the family (62,023 cases), damage to property (58,771), personal injury (42,335 cases), economic and financial offences (33,672 cases), the sale and use of drugs (15,672 cases) and illegal immigration (5,179 cases).

In rural areas crime rates are much lower. The royal gendarmerie recorded a total of 71,469 cases from the beginning of this year until September 30th, 91.31% of which were followed up. They included personal injury, damage to property, general offences and offences against public decency and the family.

"There is no cause for concern," said Benmoussa. "The Interior Ministry has taken short- and medium-term measures in order to step up police efforts and to guarantee a police presence in various regions. We’ve also taken steps to increase the efficiency of police services."

Sociologist Jamal Baroudi told Magharebia that a rise in crime rates is to be expected, due to the accelerating pace of city development. "When you analyse these crimes, you see that most of them are simple in nature, as the government says. So all they have to do is take adequate steps to get the situation under control," he said.

Benmoussa added that economic globalisation has been accompanied by a similar globalisation of organised crime, including terrorism, the sale of drugs and illegal immigration. "This means we need to intensify co-operation with our international partners to tackle this kind of crime," he concluded.

The Interior Minister has worked out a five-year plan to be implemented from 2008-2012 aimed at increasing the human and financial resources of local authorities and the police.

The government has also begun a shake-up of central and local police services in order to increase their efficiency in tackling crime. Additional police officers are to be trained to ensure an effective police presence which will deter criminals, with priority to be given to areas where crime figures have risen. All urban areas are to be covered by police, who will no longer simply record and follow up complaints but also provide a permanent security presence in crime-ridden areas as part of a prevention strategy.

To gain a better understanding of the problem, the government will call on sociologists and criminologists to carry out studies on the subject. The government is also considering the idea of modernising the system by adopting new scientific techniques and investing in technology.