Namibian police have deployed drones to help fight crime in the country’s capital Windhoek as the city faces an upsurge in criminal activity.

This is according to regional police commander for Khomas Ismael Basson, who told Xinhua on Monday that police are using drones as part of an operation called “Clean Sweep”, which seeks to bolster surveillance and fight crime in the capital.

“We are embracing the use of technology to be more efficient, to improve public safety and to make life easier for our police officers,” the commander said. “The drone’s flexibility and versatility makes it ideal for acting over any location, whether in the city, in difficult terrain, or in regions with dense vegetation.”

Basson added that the police were using three drones that have already helped mitigate many dangerous situations, allowing police officers to be effective and stay safe.

The Namibian police had first contact with drone technology in policing circles when they accepted the donation of a DJI Matrice 300 from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) last July. That they have increased their fleet shows how happy they are with the help the drones have given to policing efforts in the country.

Besides deploying the drones in the capital, the police were also looking at logistics to use drone technology to fight illegal fishing along the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“Operation Clean Sweep responded to an increase in flights in Windhoek,” said Basson. “People get robbed on street corners at night. Thieves target taxi drivers from whom they steal their hard-earned money. We are always vigilant, but we are mostly active at night, because that is where most of these crimes take place.”

During the operation, police confiscated knives and firearms, Basson said, adding that the goal was to make the police force visible in order to prevent crime.