Evert Toxopeus writes:
I have been reading about the crime rate at Melville Koppies and already for a while previously in the Northcliff Melville Times with great concern. My suggestion to the police (SAPF) is that they should send cops in plain clothes posing as joggers or cyclists etc, to cruise through the area at any given time on the routes where previous attacks have taken place etc.
At the same time the police helicopter needs to be on standby nearby on a soccer field or the likes. As soon as the cop in plain clothes gets attacked, he radios or signals to the helicopter, which can then immediately drop a few cops instantly to apprehend the criminals. This would be a simple operation to the problem.
The police in their normal uniforms and regular police outfits and police cars, will be visible for miles away to the criminals and therefore the normal policing and patrols are not effective, because the criminals see them coming and then hide from them. The problem is that the criminals that are operating there see that they are getting away with their crimes and that makes them more dangerous and more vicious. They lose sight of the fear factor and become very blaze.
The cops should just pose as normal people running or cycling through the area and then get the problem out of the way in a very short time as described above, before somebody really gets seriously hurt more badly or even killed, as per your article.
Editor’s note: Letter published unedited.
