From Barrier to Bridge – How a Network is Building Bonds Between Police and Communities

Last updated on: 11 February 2026

For the longest time, the absence of law enforcement at the table has been a critical missing piece in the jigsaw of HIV prevention and public health interventions. Whether through prejudice, lack of access to services, stigma and discrimination, public health outcomes are greatly affected by criminalisation. The lives of LGBTIQ+ people, sex workers and people who use drugs are disrupted daily through state sanctioned violence and criminalisation enacted by law enforcement. Recognising this gap, Aidsfonds, in close collaboration with its partners stepped in, bringing together communities, health service providers and law enforcement. Munya has been at the heart of this work, helping translate that collaboration into tangible change.

Challenging Stereotypes, Biases and Misinformation

Munyaradzi Ignatius Katumba aka ‘Munya’ is a Zimbabwean based in South Africa. He has contributed to developing learning materials for the Dignity, Diversity and Policing training delivered to law enforcement. The training enabled police officers challenge stereotypes, biases and misinformation around vulnerable groups, specifically LGBTIQ+ people, sex workers and people who use drugs. Consequently, transforming how they treat and respond to these communities. Following the training there was a need to do something even more substantial. Something that moved the needle of policing towards community allyship. More importantly, a safe space for all.

“We came up with a strategy to include some of the materials of the Dignity, Diversity and Policing training into the Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Cordination Organisation (SARPCCO) Health and Wellness training because they had an HIV/AIDS training they were reviewing. We negotiated revising their training to include topics on policing diversity, policing vulnerability, as well as issues around human rights to cover sex workers, people who use drugs and LGBTIQ+.”

It was also realised that there was no platform on the African continent that brought together law enforcement, the criminal justice system, civil society and public health practitioners. The trainings served as a foundation but there was a need for a space for exchanges and learnings as well as continued implementations following the insights gained. In response, the African Law Enforcement and Public Health Network (ALEPHN) was established at the end of 2024 with support from the Global Law Enforcement and Public Health Association.

Coordinating a Growing Network

Munya has been responsible for co-ordinating the activities of the network since its inception. His work oversees the integration of stakeholders to discuss country priorities, establish technical working groups and get everyone speaking to each other instead of existing in silos. But the most pivotal activity for the network was establishing its regional conference in December 2024. Taking place in Pretoria, the conference became the spark, opening the doors to the country networks. “We had 139 delegates from 25 countries with majority of the delegates from Africa, Australia, Canada and Europe. This was where we officially launched the network.”

Over the last two years, since the launch of the African Law Enforcement and Public Health Network (ALEPHN), the activities have included workshops, advocacy, lobbying and launching the network in Burundi, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

When Law Enforcement Becomes a Bridge, Not a Barrier

Dr Duncan O Ochieng, the Director, National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) of the National Police Service, in Nairobi Kenya has successfully forged close working relationships with relevant sectors of the government, civil society and community organisations. They are ensuring that those who are vulnerable are given the right health care attention as they undergo due process through the justice system. This progress has only been possible thanks to the efforts of the network and the insights gained at the Pretoria conference.
“The “them versus us” must stop and let us work together with other professionals in the health sector and the criminal justice system to ensure we deliver services to the members of our community without any discrimination.” Ochieng emphasizes.

Dr Damian Nzeh, the Deputy Commander of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps attended the Pretoria conference and the regional meeting in Abuja. “The engagements expanded my insights on how law enforcement can act as a bridge rather than a barrier to public health, especially in areas such as harm reduction, substance use prevention and community trust building” he says. These expanded insights are evident in his latest public outreach programme in the Laminga community in North Central Nigeria. After collaborating with United Healthcare International and the community’s primary health centre, they saw an increased uptake of community healthcare services. This progress was made possible because community members felt safer and more protected as a result of the trust built through collaborative outreach.

 

 

Humanising Effect

Sharon Cox of the Triangle Project in South Africa has been an activist for over thirty years and explains that over the last decade, getting any meaningful partnership with the South African Police Service has been nearly impossible. She testifies that this has been an essential missing space for transformative advocacy. With South Africa’s high levels of violence and marginalisation of LGBTQI people, sex workers and people who use drugs, policing had brought dignity and human rights to a grinding halt. But this programmes through ALEPHN have been a long-awaited silver lining. “Through sessions on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and the drivers of hate crimes and discriminations, the training helps to reduce secondary victimisation, discrimination and stigma in policing responses. This directly improves people’s willingness to report crimes, seek help and access health and harm reduction services” Furthermore police officers are more knowledgeable on the impact of violence amounts communities and are better equipped to respond properly. In Cox’s work she believes the most powerful impact of the network and its programmes resides in its humanising effect. Police officers meet real people, listen to lived experiences, engage in judgement free dialogue replacing ignorance with empathy, compassion and accountability. “It reframes policing as part of a wider wellbeing and safety system” she says.

 

 

A Vision for the Future

The flexible nature of the Love Alliance funding has been critical to these outcomes. It is centred on key populations, creating access to criminal justice and considers a multisectoral approach that brings everyone to the table. Munya wants more people actively engaged. From ministries of health to education. He wants to see changes in policy, behaviour and culture.

The network has seen tremendous impact through education, dialogue and collaborative implementation on both regional and country levels. “We are creating awareness and structure.” Munya quips.

For Munya the work hasn’t come easy. It has taken time to establish relationships, navigating institutional hierarchies and getting departments to sit and work together. Munya sees a bright future for the network. One involving more data and research driven insights to solving community specific problems. Tackling environmental factors and establishing smaller platforms within the conference to meet thematic issues head on. “During discussions, there have been themes on mining, how mining activities are deteriorating water sources due to the chemicals.”

Munya’s optimism for the progress and journey of the network is palpable but keeping communities most affected by HIV and criminalisation at the forefront of this process remains a priority. “We want a system that works, in a country and Africa wide. Let people be free to access services, we want a criminal justice system where people are not afraid. Let people know they are dealing with other human beings.”