By Bertha Nguvulu

IOM provided support to Zambia Police (ZP) to improve its National Crime Statistics Reporting System including data collection, management and reporting on all criminal offences including human trafficking and other victim offences.

Prior to the project, the Zambia Police reporting forms had not been updated since 1972, and did not include human trafficking and other victim offences, such as defilement and gender-based violence, as reportable offences. 

In order to improve crime statistics reporting, IOM worked in consultation with the relevant Zambia Police departments through a Technical Working Group, to revise and update the reporting forms to include not only human trafficking and other victim offences but all criminal offences. Following the revision of the reporting forms, IOM facilitated the development of the electronic crime statistics reporting database. The electronic crime statistics database facilitates data capture and reporting and includes four modules: 1) data capture; 2) docket creation; 3) creation of crime register entry; 4) report generation. In addition, IOM procured IT equipment to support the piloting and initial phase of roll-out of an electronic crime statistics reporting system which is now being referred to as the Electronic Occurrence Book (E-OB) by Zambia Police.

The Electronic Occurrence Book (E-OB) has now been installed at ZP Chipata stations pending connectivity of the two divisions Headquarters.Thirty Five (35) Zambia Police officers were trained as trainers in the maintenance and use of the E-OB, and will assist in the training rollout. Zambia Police is now using the E-OB as a platform to modernize their case flow management system - a system that manages the flow of cases from the time the case is reported up until the case is disposed off at the courts of law.

Furthermore, IOM provided technical support to Zambia Police for the use of the Zambia Police 991 emergency line through the development of Emergency Line Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). The SOP includes guidance to operators on call- centre etiquette, call types, response and follow-up, among other things. The SOP also highlights the roles and responsibilities of officers at the call centre, and includes procedures for responding to calls on human trafficking. Zambia Police organised a training of trainers workshop for selected officers operating in 991 call centres across the country.

This programme was facilitated by the United Nations Joint Programme on Human Trafficking (International Labour Organization, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations Children's Fund) with supported from the European Union and the United States Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office).