New Commander welcomed for Edenvale Police
"I suppose I joined because of the thrill of the job and fell in love with helping the community.”
With over 30 years of policing experience, Edenvale’s new Visible Policing Unit commander Lieutenant Colonel Lionel Chetty hopes to improve safety in the town.
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Chetty joined the SAPS in 1991.
After working in several stations such as Midrand and most recently Ivory Park, he was offered a cross-transfer to take over from Lieutenant Colonel Makgatje Marweshe.
“I believed Edenvale would be well suited to me because I live near the area so I decided to take the chance.”
Chetty took over the reins on March 27.
He said since joining the Edenvale branch things are going well. “I believe we have a strong relationship with the community, which I am happy about. We have a very strong partnership with security companies.
“Most times the police are under-resourced so the only way to combat such a challenge is to join hands with people who care about the community.”
Chetty said crying about the lack of resources won’t get anyone anywhere.
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While at Midrand SAPS he helped to establish the CPF’s sectors. Chetty also established a task team something he hopes to replicate in Edenvale.
He said the task team will work with the police to respond and assist with crimes.
“We will ask each security company for one vehicle. If we have 10, then this will bolster police visibility.
“The Edenvale task team, after consulting with the companies, will respond to complaints and respond as a police unit.”
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He said all members of the team will be screened, vetted and sign indemnity documents
Chetty said one of the ideas behind the task team is to make criminals aware that Edenvale is united and working together.
Highlighting recent successes Chetty said in the last four weeks the station had:
• Recovered three firearms.
• Recovered 206 live rounds of ammunition.
• Arrested two suspects
• Recovered two vehicles.
• Arrested 30 motorists who were suspected to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
• Made 15 narcotic-related arrests.
Besides the station’s successes, Chetty said four roadblocks and multiple vehicle checkpoints were also held.
He said there is a strong relationship between the SAPS and EMPD which he hopes to keep on growing.
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Highlighting the hotspots in Edenvale, Chetty said the Avenues remain problematic. “We are going to make them safe.”
Other matters he hopes to address include narcotic-related crimes.
Chetty said marijuana, Cat, cocaine, and recently crystal meth is a problem.
Chetty said since decriminalisation, community members may use marijuana in a private dwelling but if are caught with it in a public space can face the full might of the law.
Chetty hopes to clean up Edenvale and increase stop and searches and police visibility. He envisions restoring the community’s faith in Edenvale’s officers.
“I will work towards instilling discipline and do all in my power to remove corruption from the police station.”
He said coming from a family where his father was a police officer and his family was involved in law, he was inspired to pursue a career in the service.
“I always looked up to my dad, he was a strict officer but always a fair man. I supposed I joined because of the thrill of the job and I fell in love with helping the community.”
Besides being a no-nonsense officer, Chetty is well known within the policing community as being a counselling figure.
He said, when necessary, he will intermediate and assist couples who may be going through a rough time.
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