Joburg’s new Metro police chief, David Tembe, is meeting and greeting communities to understand their concerns and introduce them to the department’s leaders and on 21 May he came to Region B’s Marks Park.
Tembe and his team held a session with community members and representatives in various wards in Region B.
He said that by working with different international cities, he learned that a chief must first introduce himself to the community so that his department’s direction can be determined by residents.
“The safety of residents is our collective responsibility and we need to work with you,” he said.
Tembe said the various regions’ directors and unit directors of the Metro police were there also to make themselves known to the community.
“There are people who have been deployed in your areas. If any complaints come to me, it is too late,” he explained.
Tembe also went on to suggest that residents list 10 problems in their areas that Metro police should deal with over the next six weeks.
He said that after six weeks, a report will be drafted and he wants to know whether or not the public feels that Metro police’s interventions are working.
Residents also took the opportunity to ask Tembe and his team about an apparent lack of Metro police representation at community safety meetings.
One resident said that when Metro police do attend, the officer is never the same and therefore does not understand the issues. Tembe said this will be looked into and a register kept by the department.
Although he acknowledged that corruption is still possible and that he would deal with such incidents, Tembe focused heavily on bettering the relationship between the community and Metro police officers.
“We have work to do to enable us to win your support. Work with us and give us a chance to prove to you that we are worthy of being trusted,” he said.
He even suggested that an Officer of the Year be selected by the community to help foster this relationship.
For the contact details of Metro police’s management team, send an email requesting the information to Joburg’s citizen relationship and urban management (Crum) Region B operational manager, Phyllis Kramer at phyllisk@joburg.org.za
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