Crime prevention campaign educates Fairland residents

FAIRLAND – Members of the police address the public's concerns during a crime awareness campaign.

February 5, 2018

Naledi Mokoena 1 minute read

Members of the Fairland police and Fairland Community Policing Forum at the Mountainview Shopping Centre.

The Fairland police started the year on a positive note by hosting a crime prevention campaign for members of the public.

Residents had the opportunity to meet members of the Fairland Community Policing Forum committee, representatives the victim support unit and the police at Mountainview Shopping Centre.

Members of the public at a crime prevention campaign. Photo: Supplied

Fairland Police Station commander Colonel Clive de Freitas said the police set up a table at the entrance of the shopping centre where people were provided with informative pamphlets with crime tips.

“We also approached residents in the parking lot and handed out pamphlets about women and child abuse. The CPF also engaged with the community, explaining what they are about. We got a good balance of positive feedback and concerns. However, the majority of feedback was positive,” said De Freitas.

He added the CPF came up with the idea of creating a sticker which can be put onto a car which shows you are a resident who supports the forum.

“People who had an interest in joining the forum provided us with their names and details to put into our database. The forum has a crime awareness WhatsApp group where residents can report any suspicious activity they come across.

“You may be driving past a car and think it’s trivial, only to discover they are doing something suspicious. Alerting the police or sending a message to the group will give us the opportunity to follow up on any suspicious activity by sending a car to the scene,” said De Freitas.

Fairland Police Station commander Colonel Clive de Freitas is committed to engaging with the community and working together to combat crime in the area.

The Fairland police plan to host a crime prevention campaign once a month at different locations. They plan to engage with schools and join them at their events.

“I encourage all residents to approach us with their concerns when they see us in public during our crime prevention campaigns, we look forward to meeting them,” De Freitas concluded.