AUCKLAND PARK – Auckland Park residents gathered on 7 February at The Well church for a meeting called by the Auckland Park Security Forum aimed at addressing the spike in crime in their area.
Brixton Police Station commander, Colonel Ivan Perumal said, “The purpose of this is to build a platform where residents can express their frustrations [about crime].”
House robberies, hijackings and business robberies, he said, were examples of confrontational crimes that police wanted to control. One of his biggest concerns, he said, is that residents could come into direct contact with criminals.
“It is far better for a criminal to take your valuables, things that you can still come to acquire in a few years’ time, than to have a confrontation with the perpetrator.”
The residents, on the other hand, said they understood the value of community policing and sector crime forums but did not know what their role in them was. Addressing their question, Perumal said residents, by being a part of the CPF, are able to speedily share info on suspicious activity. He said, however, that he wanted the meetings’ frequency not to be limited to one evening a month because vital information could not be effectively shared.
Auckland Park residents are willing to go the extra mile to protect their suburb by meeting and discussing ways and means to tackle crime. What are you doing for your neighbourhood? Tweet us @NewNMT and let us know.
