CPF aims to train members to be able to handle any situation until the relevant authorities arrive.
The Fairland Community Policing Forum (CPF) has laid out their goals and plans for 2021 and it can all be summed into one mission – to become the best-trained, best-equipped and most-motivated CPF capable of tackling most safety and security incidents. To do this, the CPF will need to make massive improvements and additions to the services they provide to the community.
Secretary of the CPF Mahmood Cassim explained, “I would like to empower our team to act in the best interest and safety of our community by empowering our team to provide an emergency first-responder service while awaiting the proper services to arrive.” Over the next year, the CPF will enrol its members into first aid, trauma counselling, crowd and crises management, vehicle and building entrapment training classes.
In addition to this, they will also receive training on snakes identification and handling, basic unarmed self-defence, firearm training and traffic control. The CPF will also be looking into improving the physical fitness of members and stated, “This will require us to do most of the training by ourselves, but we already have someone who can help with guiding us periodically with updated programmes on our fitness levels.” Cassim did express that in no way are they trying to take over services and responsibilities of other safety and security role players.
“We will by no means assume the role of any existing service, but merely equip ourselves to enable damage limitation until such time as dedicated professional teams arrive. We dare not subsume the position of designated professionals.” Members have already started attending training courses to get this mission underway.
Certain members have already completed a ‘Stop the Bleed’ at the beginning of January and a firefighting course in the middle of the month. The CPF is also looking to improve their skills and knowledge in crime scene management with an emphasis on containment and not contaminating a crime scene. Cassim concluded, “It’s a tall order, especially with Covid-19. We don’t know what the future holds but we cannot afford to wait. We must plan ahead despite all else.”
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