Midrand cops adopt a school for security and to eliminate criminal acts

As schools reopen, the Adopt A Cop programme commences. Midrand police officers visited schools around the area on 15 January to introduce themselves and to partner with the schools to eradicate criminal acts and make the schools safer.

On the day, Brigadier David Tsotsotso, commander for the Midrand Police Station partnered with Blue Hills College whilst Captain Litsabako Ntsasa partnered with the Riversands Primary School.

Tsotsotso said that as he adopts Blue Hills College he would love to be part of the first school safety meeting together with the sector manager. “I have my second in charge who will be able to visit the school whenever I cannot but that does not prohibit the other cops to oversee the whole running of the operations. The school might, as well, receive a visit from the district general who will check whether indeed we are looking after the school.”

He emphasised that the partnerships with the schools were not merely for the purpose of searching the learners for drugs and weapons but for any general security issues that the schools would like to discuss with them.

Bekithemba Ndlovu, principal at Blue Hills College expressed his gratitude towards the brigadier saying that the school was delighted to have the Midrand police visit them. “We feel so privileged to have the brigadier himself leading the team as a visitor. We have now been assured and are confident that we are going to have a good year considering that we have all the protection,” he added.

“We have had problems in the past which we have made the police aware of such as issues of mobile tablet theft and the abuse of drugs, especially marijuana. I, therefore, think that if the police come to the community like they have done today and work with the educators it would be good for our learners.”

Riversands Primary School principal Mpho Mojela welcomed the police and spoke about a number of break-ins that happened at their school over the school holidays. He said, “I appreciate your coming, the way our area is with no community around our school has got high crime rates and huge challenges. I only left the school on 23 of December after schools closed in December last year because whenever I drove out someone will walk in.

“During that holiday period alone the school had to spend R30 000 to repair and replace everything damaged and stolen. The police came and took fingerprints.”

Details: Sergeant Matome Tlamela TlamelaMG@saps.gov.za

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