Deploy police officers outside their own communities

25 January 2012

Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Vusi Shongwe has called on SAPS Management to explore at possibilities of deploying police officers outside their own communities in order to minimize chances of colluding with criminals and not arresting them.

Shongwe said that there is likelihood that when officers are stationed in their own localities, they may find it difficult to deal with crime suspects they know. Shongwe was speaking during a Joint Forum Meeting (JMF), between SAPS management in the province and the department held in White River yesterday.

He said that when the officers are deployed in communities where they are not know, they would work without any fear or favour and this will assist in strengthening the war against crime. 

Shongwe said that the majority of police officers work in communities that they grew up in, they may sometimes collude with criminals or sabotage criminal investigations because they know the community members and some are their relatives.

“If we take them to where they are not known, chances of them being corrupted or not investigating cases thoroughly are minimized. SAPS used to post police officers outside their localities in the past and therefore this needs to be seriously considered in intensifying the war against crime,” the MEC said. 

He said that sometimes the unwillingness of officers to decisively confront criminal elements could be attributed to the fact they personally know some of the criminals. 

Shongwe has further called on SAPS to support Community Police Forums (CPF) because without it, the war against crime will not be won.

He said that police cannot claim to be winning the war against crime without the involvement of communities. He said that the involvement of communities should be strengthened by empowering CPFs and ensuring projects that they implement are supported accordingly.

He also told the meeting that he was concerned about the level of co-operation between the police and the traffic officers.  

The MEC said that working together between the police and the traffic officers will have the desired impact of reducing crime and road fatalities in the province.  

He said although he appreciates the work of SAPS during the Festive Season, there is a need for appropriate joint programmes between SAPS and other law enforcement agencies.

“All security forces in the province must be strengthened so that maximum impact in crime prevention is achieved,” the MEC added.

Shongwe has meanwhile told the meeting that the number of accidents in the province was still high and the department needed to target roads with most accidents.

He said that there was also a need to analyze the accidents in terms of the demographics of the people involved so that they could be targeted accordingly through departmental programmes.

Enquiries:

Joseph Mabuza
Tel: 013 766 4055
Cell: 082 678 1450

Issued by Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison

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