Police educate children on safety
In celebration of Youth Day, the Westenburg Community Police Patrol (WCPP) invited officers from the Westenburg police station to talk to children about safety and the purpose of the police.
POLOKWANE – In celebration of Youth Day, the Westenburg Community Police Patrol (WCPP) invited officers from the Westenburg police station to talk to children about safety and the purpose of the police.
Const Daphney Sappie was one of the speakers and she focused on safety at home, in the neighbourhood and at school.
She explained to the children that they must know their full names, home address and their parents’ contact details.
“It is important to know this information for your safety in case of an emergency. Tell your parents that the police say they must never leave you alone at home, there must always be an adult to supervise you for your own safety.
“When we talk about safety in the neighbourhood, we mean you must know the names of your neighbours. Don’t walk alone in the street, always walk with a friend. Tell your parents not to send you to the shop alone, especially at night because it is very dangerous. You must never talk to strangers or give them directions, this is for your own safety,” Sappie said.
She also encouraged the children not to bully each other at school.
“You must not bully your friends at school and not steal from them. When you cross the street, do it at a safe point, which is at the traffic light or at the pedestrian crossing,” she said.
Sappie assured the children that the police were their friends and were there to protect the community.
She asked the children how they identified the police, to which they replied: “the police wear uniforms, drive a police car and have firearms”.
Sappie explained to the children that police officers had firearms to protect the community and themselves against criminals.
“The police also have pepper sprays to protect themselves. We wear uniforms to be visible in the community. We use police vehicles to chase criminals and to transport them from where we arrested them to the police station and then to the holding cells,” Sappie said.
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