Using entertainment as a form of education helps ensuring that the message sticks with the easily distracted children of Roodepoort. The non-stop efforts of the Roodepoort Social Crime Prevention Unit continued with several events aimed at educating the youth.
Children are never too young to learn about the police, as the kiddies of Kruiner Kleuters day care centre in Helderkruin found out. Head of Social Crime Prevention, Sergeant Shumikazi Mbuli spoke to the children about the duties of the police, and treated them to every child’s favourite – the sirens.
Laerskool Horison then got their chance to experience the sights and sounds of the community safety display. Police, JMPD, emergency services and private security companies gave their customary extravaganza of smoke and sirens to the excited young children. Fast becoming the main attraction is Khumba, the beautiful male Rottweiler, who again savaged his target with unrelenting power.
A school that has already had multiple visits is Laerskool Jozua Naude Primary School. They received another in March when Captain Granville Meyer of Sandton Police brought his miniature friend, Captain Khumalo, along for an educational talk. Roodepoort Police spokesperson, Captain Juanita Yorke explained, “Children are being educated on health issues, discipline, road safety, bullying, stranger danger and the five rules of safety”.
Through the ‘Adopt-a-Cop’ programme police are encouraging each member to couple with a school to spread the message of the vital work the police do, while also instilling trust in their officers. This forms part of the Social Crime Prevention initiative that hopes to develop alert and informed young people.
