Historical Background
Western Division is under the command and control of an Assistant Commissioner of Police and is responsible for the Magisterial Districts of Lower Plaines-Wilhems and Black River. It covers an area of approximately 345 Sq. kms with a resident population of 470,000 which is nearly one third of the population of Mauritius.
Its headquarters is situated at corner Royal Road and Julius Nyerere Road in the centre of the town of Rose-Hill. The main accesses to the division are: vacoas/Candos Road, Reduit/Ebene Road, Le Morne/Riviere Noire Road, Petite Riviere Road and Coromandel/ Beau-Bassin Road.
The Western Division Area Headquarters houses the following offices;
- The Family Protection Unit (FPU)-To improve police response and intervention in cases of domestic violence and family conflicts, and to promote informative and educative campaigns against all forms of abuse.
- The Passport and Immigration Office (PIO)- Regional branch- To process application for a Mauritius passport and to issue same to citizens within a period of seven days.
- The Western Division Supporting Unit (DSU)- To act as hawkers squad to take action against illegal hawking and to assist in any operation launched by the Divisional Commander in support to other stations/ units.
- Emergency Response Service (ERS). To speedily respond to summon for Police assistance in emergency situations.
- Criminal Investigation Division (CID). To act as investigative agencies in support to the regular Police. To proactively respond in the prevention and detection of crime.
- Anti Drug & Smuggling Unit (ADSU)-To prevent and detect offences in connection with dangerous drugs.
- National Security Service (NSS)–To provide advance information on any happening that may affect security.
- Traffic Branch Mobile Field Division. To assist in regulating traffic and preventing and removing obstructions on public roads.
The main towns, viz Rose-Hill, Quatre-Bornes, and Beau-Bassin and the tourist village of Flic en Flac constitute frontline locations and to a lesser extent the Coromandel residential/ industrial zone, Sodnac, Roches-Brunes and Palma areas. The Cyber city in Ebene is becoming an important Centre of business activities.
With the construction of a second tower in the Cyber city at Ebene, the fast development in the field of Information and Communication Technology, and the rapid growth of residential buildings, there will be more demands in terms of policing the region.
Western Division has also a coastline of some 75 kms from Albion to Le Morne with approximately 16 resort hotels. The most frequented beaches and popular tourist destinations are Flic en Flac, Wolmar, Riviere Noire and Le Morne.
Some places of interest in the area:
- Seven Coloured Earth site at Chamarel
- National Park at Black River.
- Black River Gorges.
- Parc D’Aventure at Chamarel
- Belle Vue Phare Lighthouse at Albion.
The division also has the following:
- Hospitals – 03
- Clinics – 04
- Stadiums and Sports Complexes – 07
- Commercial Centres – 11
- Commercial Banks – 29
- Primary/Secondary Schools – 57
- Beau-Bassin & Richelieu Prisons
The following Police Stations/Posts are located in the Divison:
Rose-Hill- which is an ‘A’ class station covering an area of approximately 7.7 sq miles extending from Oxenham Wine factory to Pere Laval Street, Rose-Hill and from Hugnin Road to Le Reduit River, Moka with an estimated population of about 80,000 inhabitants.
Beau-Bassin- which is an ‘A’ class station policing an area of about 8.3 sq. miles with an estimated population of 40,000 people.
Quatre-Bornes- is an ‘A’ class station with a population of about 82,000 inhabitants. It extends over an area of about 21.2 sq. kms and serves an urban road network of some 302.4 kilometres. The town which was mainly a residential area has become an industrial, administrative, business and commercial place.
Stanley- is an ‘A’ class station with a population of 40,000 inhabitants covering an area of about 4.5 sq. miles extending over a growing residential region from Trefles to La Chaumiere, St Martin.
Petite Riviere is a ‘C’ class station in a rural region within the precints of Black River District Council. It covers an area of 27.5 sq. kms and a population of about 36,000 inhabitants. The station area starts from camp Benoit up to Canot and from Richelieu branch road to Albion.
Bambous- is a ‘B’ class station which extends from Canot to Pont Papayes and from St Martin up to Medine S.E.
Sodnac- is a ‘B’ class station with a residential population of about 30,000 inhabitants over an area of 8.5 sq. miles from Paillote to St Jean residences.
Albion- is a ‘B’ class station in the coastal district of Black-River with a population of 5,000 inhabitants over an area of 7.9 sq kms from Canot to Camp Benoit.
Barkly- is a ‘C’ class station covering an area of 3.1 sq miles with a residential population of 7,000 inhabitants from Chebel Branch road to Verger Bissambar, mont-Roches.
Flic en Flac-is a ‘C’ class station in the coastal tourist region of Black River district with a population of about 3,000 inhabitants over an area of 15 sq kms.
Black River- is a ‘C’ class station in the coastal area of Black River district with a population of about 25,000 inhabitants over an area of 52 sq. miles with many places of tourists’ attraction such as Seven Coloured Earth at Chamarel and Plaines Champagne and Black River Gorges View points.
Coromandel-is a ‘C’ class station situated in the residential area of morcellement Montreal. Its covers an area 10 sq. miles with a population of about 10,000 inhabitants which stretches from ‘S’ Hill to Chebel Branch Road.
Camp-Levieux Police Post
Montreal Police Post
Princess Margaret Orthopedic Centre Police Post.
Brown Sequard Hospital Police Post.
Mission
We exist to provide the highest quality of policing services to the people of our division as well as those who visit us and deliver those services without fear or favour, affection or ill will.
We will achieve this by:
Remaining a visible, predominantly unarmed, approachable Police Service providing a reassuring presence throughout the division. Remember that a smile costs nothing but in return it may work wonders.
Establishing a clear view of the importance of our many policing tasks.
Improving our performance in those areas of the Police activity which are identified in order of priority.
Our Purpose
We pledge to uphold the law fairly and firmly, to prevent crime and bring to justice those who break the law, to protect the community and act with common sense and sound judgment.
We must be calm and restrained in the face of violence and apply only minimum force to accomplish our lawful duty. We must strive to reduce the fears of the public to the best of our abilities and do reflect their priorities in the action that we take. We must respond to well-founded criticism with a willingness to change for the good of our customers.
Our Objectives
- To reduce cases of larceny
- To reduce cases of attack upon tourists
- To clampdown drug offences and drug related crimes
- To reduce road accidents.