FAIRLAND – The CPF are warning residents once again to not share criminal activity on social media before informing the police.
The Fairland Community Policing Forum (CPF) had to remind residents yet again to stop sharing acts of criminal activity or suspicious behaviour online before reporting it to the police. This reminder came at the CPF’s first meeting of the year at the Mosaïek Church. They told residents that doing this doesn’t necessarily assist them to stop crime in the area. On the night members of the CPF and police shared their unhappiness with this particular occurrence.
Police are advising residents to call them or their security company first if they see suspicious behaviour or a crime happening. They said time is being wasted while people hold on to lifesaving information and have endless conversations online. They also stated that they do not follow social media applications and will therefore never respond to what is posted there. Residents need to call the police first. Do not tag the police in posts or simply share a post – report the incident to the police.
Head of the CPF’s victim support unit Sally Röthemeyer also said her team cannot go to a scene to assist victims until a case has been reported to the police. She stated that people have called her and her team to go to incidents that they couldn’t legally go to unless the police gave them a green light to do so. She added that many things could go wrong if they went to a scene first without pre-approval from the police and it is not a risk they are willing or able to take.
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