EDITOR – The information below is to give clarity to the community with regards to the Crime Reporting Boards and to eliminate any confusion or misconception relayed by the article in the South Coast Sun, page 6, dated 29 August.
It is also in response to the open letter to Captain van der Spuy: SAPS Amanzimtoti in the South Coast Sun, page 12, dated 26 September.
Crime Reporting Boards (CRB) have been in existence since 1996 and has during the said period gained momentum in building a sound working relationship with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the larger community, and the business sector.
These boxes are being sponsored by businesses in the community.
The main purpose of this organisation is to place boards at strategic points at shopping malls; community centres and taxi ranks. These boards serve as a communication medium between the SAPS and the community, with information from SAPS relayed on information panels and a postbox where the public can anonymously relay information to the SAPS.
Information displayed on the board addresses the biggest problems in our country.
The boards are erected at places that most people visit. The information is relevant and is something that everyone will appreciate. Monthly maintenance is done by the personnel of the CRB.
The CRB also has a centralised postbox where written crime information or complaints can anonymously be communicated by the community to the SAPS. The police service has access to obtain anonymous information from the postbox as each station is supplied with a set of keys. The information gained from the post box is being handled by the local police station.
The boxes are not “emptied once a month and complaints are dealt with by the SAPS head office in Pretoria” as indicated by the article.
SAPS has access to an effective and visible medium to relay information to all members of the community at no cost to the police.
The community is encouraged to anonymously (if they prefer to be anonymous, without the fear of retaliation) communicate (without the fear of retaliation) valuable information with regards to criminal/conspicuous activities directly to the SAPS. In instances whereby members of the community are feeling threatened to report activities of crime to the police, they now have a cost-free and safe method of doing so.
This method of crime reporting enables the reporter of the crime to give a comprehensive description, which will assist in the reduction of misunderstanding/confusion.
The SAPS now has a well-established national medium of communication to the community. Everyone doesn’t own a TV, cellphone or read newspapers, but everyone buys food and therefore will have access to a crime reporting board.
The reason for the monthly visit to the area by the managers of the CRB is to sustain a good relationship between SAPS, themselves and the community.
Any request for an erection of a CRB can be forwarded to the CRB management via the communications officer at the local police station.
For any further enquiries or clarity, contact Captain C Van Der Spuy, the communications officer for Amanzimtoti SAPS, on 031-913-1300/13.
CAPY C VAN DER SPUY
