Reported cases of drug use and theft within the past month and the year have significantly decreased, the Maldives Police Service’s publicized records show.

The records say that cases of theft have decreased 16 percent at the end of November, in comparison to the month before.

While a total of 1,124 cases were reported to the police in October, 945 cases were reported in November. These numbers include cases of theft, drug use, domestic violence, and sexual abuse.

The number of theft cases reported up until Tuesday this week since December last year was 3,155; while the number of cases for the same period the year before was 3,503.

189 cases of drug use – peddling, trafficking, and possession – were reported this November, while cases of this nature reported in October amount to 245.

While the members of the current administration took office late November, they have announced efforts to improve the conduct of the Maldives Police Service.

Mohamed Hameed, formerly head of intelligence, was made deputy commissioner of police and the acting commissioner.

Hameed said that the Maldives Police Service will reinstate public trust in the institution and as such has announced an action plan.

This includes dividing parts of the ‘Greater Malé Area’ into sections that are overseen by a duty officer for each.  Hameed said that a means to receive public feedback on the conduct of individual officers will soon be established as well.