SAPS launches plan to increase police visibility
The launch took place at the weekend at the Inanda policing precinct in Durban. The area has, over the years, recorded the highest rates of contact crimes, including sexual offences and murder.
THE South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched the ‘Country in Blue’ campaign and, through this, aims to increase police visibility across the country.
Under the campaign, drone policing will also be introduced in some crime hotspots.
The launch took place at the weekend at the Inanda policing precinct in Durban. The area has, over the years, recorded the highest rates of contact crimes, including sexual offences and murder.
The police minister, General Bheki Cele; the deputy minister of police, Cassel Mathale; the national commissioner of SAPS, General Khehla Sitole; provincial commissioners; members of the community policing forum (CPF) and traditional leaders attended the launch.
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The Country in Blue concept will see all security forces, civil society and government agencies work together.
Through this concept, all operational SAPS vehicles on the road will have their emergency warning blue lights switched on from sunset to sunrise (18:00 to 06:00).
Additional operational vehicles will also be marked in a bid to ensure that police presence is enhanced.
The concept further aims to deter all forms of criminality and is embedded in the community policing strategy, which mobilises more community patrollers to work closely with SAPS members as force-multipliers.
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