Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) for NCD and Central, Benjamin Turi, has credited strong leadership for both NCD and Central Province Governors and the cooperation between both PPC with support units and community watch volunteers for a largely peaceful festive season in both provinces.
Commander Turi said the calm outcome during Christmas and New Year celebrations was not accidental, but the result of coordinated efforts by provincial leaders, police commanders, and the public.
He said political leadership and senior police oversight played a key role in setting expectations for peaceful celebrations across the National Capital District and Central Province.
"I want to thank the two Governors, the elected leaders, the two police bosses for NCD and Central Provinces, PPC Salle and Met. Supt. Simatab, the police station commanders, Police Section Heads, each individual police officer from the command, support units, our Operational Units, Dog Unit, Mobile Squads, Water Police, the community watch volunteers, village leaders, parents, the media and everyone who said a word to encourage individuals to celebrate peacefully," Commander Turi said.
He said the festive period, particularly Christmas, was generally quiet in both provinces.
Commander Turi confirmed that two deaths were reported in the Sabama area of NCD during the Christmas period. Apart from these incidents, he said there were no major cases of widespread violence.
He said Central Province recorded a quiet Christmas, with police reporting no serious disturbances.
Commander Turi said New Year celebrations also passed without major incidents, although police did respond to a number of alcohol-related cases.
He said drunken individuals were involved in fights among themselves, resulting in injuries and damage to property. These cases, he said, are currently under police investigation.
He explained that alcohol continues to be the main cause of public disorder during festive seasons, despite ongoing police efforts to control its misuse.
He said police had taken enforcement action, but some members of the public chose to ignore the law.
Commander Turi said community cooperation was critical in preventing situations from escalating, particularly in high-risk areas.
He said police observations showed that most disturbances occurred in settlements and suburban areas, where community watch volunteers and local leaders worked closely with police officers.
He also explained that proactive policing measures helped reduce incidents across the command.
Commander Turi said police shut down illegal liquor outlets, arrested individuals producing homebrew, and accepted voluntary surrender of homebrew from members of the public.
He said these actions demonstrated the value of police working in partnership with communities.
"I saw teamwork displayed in this festive season. We are a small command; if we share and communicate with each other, we will not cause harm to others but encourage everyone to respect each other… The real meaning of police working in partnership with the communities was displayed. I thank you all for that," Commander Turi said.
Police say they will continue community-based policing and alcohol-control operations in 2026 to maintain public safety in both provinces.
