Dar police chief Sirro chides banks for not enforcing security measures in bank halls
Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Simon Sirro
Armed robbery incidents have of late been on the increase in the country, prompting inquiry into the sad state of affairs.
Preliminary investigation by The Guardian on Sunday has revealed that criminal elements seem to have gained courage after learning about unbelievable security laxity in banks, hence capitalizing on it to make a fast buck through robbing bank clients who they know have just withdrawn big sums of money.
Some of the interviewed bankers confessed about lack of strict adherence to security procedures, beginning with the recruitment of employees.
“One of the challenges is that some of the workers secured jobs through memos from top government officials indicating that so-and-so must be employed, irrespective of individual’s background and honesty,” lamented a female bank employee.
Asked to comment on the unfolding situation and decisive measures to be taken by the police to stem the incidents of armed bank robbery, Dar es Salaam Special Zone Police Commander, Simon Sirro stressed on collective responsibilities to be undertaken by the police, bank managements and the general public.
“Employment in some of these banks does not observe established security regulations.
There is no serious coordination and cooperation between the police’s forensic bureau and bank managements to ensure applicants seeking jobs at any bank have their fingerprints taken for security reasons,” Sirro explained.
Concern by the Dar es Salaam police chief was echoed by a senior bank official in Mikocheni area who confessed to have secured his job without undergoing any security check or screening.
Another bank official admitted to have undergone security screening, but expressed resentment after learning that some of his colleagues in the same office were never subjected to the same treatment.
“A good number of people still believe that bank robberies are an inside job by dishonest employees.
Judging from the laxity in bank halls and the double standards in engaging bank staff whereby some undergo serious vetting while others do not, the possibility of having a criminals’ mole in your midst cannot be ruled out,” observed the young banker in Magomeni.
Commander Sirro expressed doubt whether banks employed qualified intelligence personnel to monitor security procedures in bank halls and other strategic areas with a view to foiling crime before it is committed.
“For example, in most banks you find posters forbidding customers from chatting on their mobile phones, but the instruction is totally disregarded and never enforced by any bank staff.
“As a result, ill-intentioned people who enter banks as ‘clients’ may use the loophole to communicate with their criminal colleagues waiting outside by giving the full description of people carrying large sums of money.
A well trained intelligence unit well positioned in the bank hall could notice that and foil a potential robbery in the initial stage. But it seems such elementary security issues are not a priority to most banks,” Sirro observed.
Another interviewed banker supported the police chief’s views, saying that even line managers and staff who were supposed to monitor operations inside banks were always busy assisting clients on loan applications or other matters at the expense of security.
“Clients send text messages and often make calls on their mobiles without interference,” she explained.
The police commander declined to give details about the force’s envisaged measures to combat the network of armed robbers currently wrecking havoc in the city.
He was however not short of advice to bankers, saying they should make extra efforts to seal off loopholes to control crime.
“Bankers should discourage their customers to carry large sums of money unless they have an armed escort.
Online money transfer between banks or business centres is advisable, or else clients should be ordered to hire police escort to prevent robbery,” he said.
Another banker strongly supported what the police chief said, adding that some of their clients were stubborn and would always refuse police escort or on-line money transfers under the pretext that the procedures were cumbersome.
“For example, a client who wants to buy a car worth Sh30 million will come to the teller and demand cash withdrawal and refuse completely the advice of on-line transfer.
This is absurd because the situation allows all sorts of temptation, and once robbers learn about this they strike,” she explained.
Sirro said banks should stop hiring old people who cannot even use guns as security guards.
“Being a security guard is not simply to wear uniforms or hold a gun. They must be able to use the weapons and stop employing retired, elderly people who end up dozing off most of the time,” he observed.
He thanked people who volunteer to share information leading to the arrest of suspects.
He also underscored the importance of community policing, saying the strategy had proved very effective in other major cities abroad in combating crime, including armed robbery.
SOURCE:
GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
