Police have assured residents that the awareness projects started during the festive season will continue this month and for the entire year.
A few days before Christmas, Muldersdrift police, in conjunction with Joburg Metro and Krugersdorp police, conducted a walkabout campaign at Cradlestone Mall. They handed out pamphlets to shoppers containing crime-prevention tips and phone numbers to contact to report crime.
“We are alerting the community about festive season crimes, especially those committed in malls and business areas,” Muldersdrift police spokesperson Warrant Officer Masedi Masedi said.
He added that continued police visibility in malls would reduce crime this year because ‘our vigilance strategy is to begin 2017 on a high note’.
Another project, conducted by Honeydew police on 16 December last year, left big smiles on the faces of children. The joint initiative, which involved Joburg West police reservists, Londoloza Protection Group security company, and the Honeydew Community Policing Forum, reached more than three child safety centres.
Captain Troy Laas, head of police reservists in the Joburg West Cluster said, “We do similar events every year during Easter, Mandela Day and Christmas. Our objective is to change the perception that children have about police. We want them not to fear us but to feel safe whenever we are around.
“We took toys that we [had] collected and handed them [out] to the children according to their age groups and gender. [In the midst of] all the fun, we took to the robots to hand out crackers to motorists with children on board and [informed] them about road safety tips.”
Pam Colley and Nita Mulder of St Laurence Children’s Haven in Roodepoort said they were delighted by the effort put in by the police. “It was very nice of them to arrive at our centre with sirens on because children got excited,” said Mulder.
