Florida Police Station needs the youth
Florida's youth crime prevention desk needs young blood
Florida Police Station has opened its doors to recruit young people for its youth crime prevention desk. The station has been struggling to attract young people to assist police officers in community awareness projects and initiatives and is in urgent need of youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years to volunteer and serve on the youth crime prevention desk.
According to Florida Police Station’s Captain Lydia Dikolomela, the youth desk was established by young people as mandated by the Department of Community Safety (Docs) and the police, with the aim of helping both in the eradication of youth crime.
“Bring together all youth sectors and formations to participate in social crime prevention activities and to develop future leaders, thus making Gauteng a safer community for all those who live in it.”
Dikolomela added that only youth who live in the Florida Police’s area of operations may apply. “We went on radio promoting recruitment for the youth desk but instead of people from Florida calling, we had only those outside our precinct calling and querying. You must live in the policing area to be part of the youth desk.”
Further roles the youth crime prevention desk will play will be elaborated on once the recruitment drive ends, and a meeting set up to elect a committee.
The youth desk will work closely with and account to the Community Policing Forum (CPF), which has a similar committee structure. They two groups will work hand-in-hand, especially in going to the community and raising awareness.
All fundraising, including finding sponsors and collecting donations for the youth crime prevention desk will become the responsibility of the CPF and the youth desk, under the control of the CPF.
The youth crime prevention desk will have an office and resources will be allocated to them to assist the police in their projects and campaigns. Becoming a volunteer will put them in a position where they are exposed to many things.
“People are looking for jobs where they get paid. Some have indicated it’s a waste for them to use their own funds to volunteer.
Hence we want to recruit volunteers in the Florida precinct as we can find ways of transporting them between their homes and the police station. At times, we can help them apply to join the police force if there is a vacancy open. While we are not promising anything, it’s possible. A guy who was a volunteer became a general maintenance worker for the whole cluster. Now he is studying towards becoming a police officer,” said Dikolomela.
Youth involved in tertiary education are also urgently needed, as well as youth in conflict with the law. Once they start working with the police, they will be able to assist other troubled youth, share their experiences and relate to them better. Young people who have been victims or perpetrators of crime are also urged to join the youth desk.
Dikolomela added that the youth desk must be a multi-racial initiative and not just for a certain race. “We need white people, Indian people and coloured people. Let the youth desk be racially inclusive to reflect our community.”
Anyone interested in becoming part of the youth desk can contact Captain Dikolomela or Sergeant Mpho More on 079 6946 759 or 011 831 7000.
Also read: Roodepoort CPF highlights its objective
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