In a decree published on Tuesday, August 9, 2022, the President of the Republic sets the modalities of exercise of the municipal police in Cameroon.
Placed under the authority of the mayor, this force is responsible for ‘ensuring good order, as well as safety, tranquillity, security and public health on the territory of the municipality or the urban community’, the text states. Thus, the role of the municipal police is to ensure the safety of citizens in the municipalities and urban communities to which it is attached. It also carries out administrative and judicial police missions.
These missions are ‘implemented in collaboration with the competent State administrations‘ and are exercised ‘in strict compliance with the rights and freedoms of the population, as well as with the laws and regulations in force’, states the decree. To this end, municipal police officers may not use force or coerce the population, “subject to cases of legitimate defence“. Under the direct authority of the mayor, they record offences falling within the mayor’s jurisdiction, serve summonses issued by the municipal magistrate and impose the fines laid down for this purpose.
The text also specifies that municipal police officers may not replace the forces of law and order and security. They may have recourse to the national police and gendarmerie in the performance of their activities, in accordance with the procedures defined by this decree.
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