What do Community Policing Forums do?

Community Policing Forums help reduce crime, facilitate communication between residents and the police and it is in the interest of residents to attend the meetings.

This, according to three chairpersons at different Community Policing Forums.

Sandy Andrew, chairperson of the Randburg forum explained that the forum is a committee comprised of volunteers from the community and police representatives whose main focus areas are to facilitate communication between police and the community, act as “overseers” of the police’s level of service, assist police with crime prevention projects, inform the community of important developments within the police, and inform the police of any community matters pertinent to them.

Meetings are held monthly by the forums with police, security companies, residents’ associations and the general public, where crime is discussed with ways to combat it.

These meetings are open to everyone.

According to Douglasdale Sector 1 forum chairperson Charmaine van Rijswijk and Honeydew Sector 1 forum chairperson Greg Pearce, the dissemination of information during these meetings help reduce crime, and it is in the interest of residents to attend the meetings.

“When there is a spike in crime, that is when many people attend the meetings,” Rijswijk said.

“They get tips about crime, pass them on and make people aware.”

According to her, crime tips provided at these meetings make people less susceptible to crime.

“Communication to the community helps [to reduce crime],” Pearce said.

“People find out what to look out for, and how to protect themselves.”

He added that it is especially important for heads of communities and body corporates to attend the meetings and spread the information discussed at them.

Details: Randburg CPF 082 433 6085; Honeydew CPF 011 801 8576; info@honeydew-cpf.org.za; Douglasdale CPF info.1@douglasdalecpf.org.za