Thokoza SAPS welcomes new police head

The Thokoza SAPS has a new head, a kind-hearted officer, who is also a loving and caring father of two daughters. He is also as hard as nails, and will not brook crime and lawlessness.

“First and foremost, I am a man and a father and I understand what it is to be compassionate, caring and understanding. My commitment and responsibility to the community of Thokoza will always be tilted toward those who seek refuge in justice through the law,” explained the newly appointed Thokoza police head, Col Dirk Badenhorst.

Badenhhorst has been posted to the Thokoza police precinct. This, however, is not his first high-profile post in a densely populated and crime-ridden residential area of Thokoza.

The soft-spoken father of two adult children from Freeway Park in Boksburg said he has best interest at heart for the community of Thokoza.

He has served 33 years in the police service, 16 of those at the Kathorus Flying Squad. Before then, he was head of the Thokoza SAPS. He also served at the Vosloorus Police Station.

He was trained and completed his training at the Tswane Police Academy in 1987, formerly known as Pretoria Training Institution.

He also served as a unit commander of the Kathorus Flying Squard.

Badenhorst has made an appeal to the community of Thokoza to take advantage of his office, and believes in an “open door” policy.

“I am a firm and strong believer in keeping my office door open to anyone at anytime,” he said.

On his short-term plan to improve the police station, Badenhorst said his main priority is to improve the reaction time to complaints.

“My long-term plan is to reduce crime in Thokoza. But that plan will be affected by the fact that he only has four years left as he is planning to retire at the age of 55,” said Badenhorst in his interview with Kathorus MAIL at his office on November 15.

He said his strategic plan is to fight crime, and that he will involve different stake holders such as EMPD, Flying Squad, K9 and tracker companies, to achieve this goal.

“Getting people from outside is helpful, often people who have been here for a very long time turn to be on a comfort zone,” he explained.

Badenhorst also plans to involve the community in his fight against crime.

“I would make a good use of awareness campaigns through our communication officer, and trust that the community will assist the police to report crime so that we can all collaborate to making Thokoza a better place for all,” Badenhorst said.

Kathorus MAIL asked him if he had a plan to deal with violence aimed at women and children.

“Gender-based violence is not a policeable crime since it mostly happens behind closed doors. People come to report such cases, but after a while withdraw them after settling it out with small amount of money. The problem is that such cases become unresolved and remain in our statistics.

“No detectives will be allowed to withdraw such cases. Once the case is open the police will continue with investigation even if the complainant has decided to withdraw it. As long as there is enough evidence to continue, and to take the case to court, we will arrest the suspect whether the two parties have settled or not,” concludes Badenhorst, urging victims of such violence not withdraw them as this leads to abusive men end up killing their partners.

On how is he planned to ensure that cases are investigated properly, and dockets do not go missing, Badenhorst said he planned to make a good use of all support systems at his disposal – those are support, detectives as well as vispol.

“I will make it clear to them of what they are accountable for on a monthly basis. Those who are responsible for keeping dockets will be accountable for missing dockets, and drastic measures will be taken against them.

“I will also make sure that detectives responsible for investigating the cases will make sure that they follow up cases from the beginning until they go to court and back from court. In that case it will be easy to make sure that dockets don’t get missing, and that cases are investigated properly,” Badenhorst said.

He is married to a police woman, and this has made his work a little easier.

“My wife is captain and is working at K9 in Benoni. Sometimes we sit and talk about work at home. She is intelligent, and has always advised me about my work,” he said.

He spoke fondly of her daughters, one of whom – the older one, and who recently got married – was planning to relocate to New Zealand with her husband. His younger daughter works as a teacher in Boksburg.

Badenhorst is inviting members of the community to make a good use of his office to discuss and seek solutions to issues and problems that affect them.