Community urged to assist in taking a stand against crime

THE police and members of the Community Police Forum gathered at Brighton Beach to devise strategic plans on how to curb criminal activities in the suburbs. The meeting was also attended by metro police and Brighton Beach SAPS and was held at Marlborough Park Junior Primary School recently.

Chairperson of the Bluff Community Police Forum (CPF) Sidney Govindsamy said in a statement that crime has risen to an all-time high on The Bluff and is starting to escalate as we approach the winter period.

Also read: Brighton Beach CPF and Bluff Sub Forum AGM has a date

“It’s time for us as residents to start partnering with the CPF and security stakeholders as well as with SAPS and metro police in taking ownership of combating crime in the area and becoming more proactive and vigilant as crime escalates.

“The creation of a collaborative partnership with metro police and SAPS creates a relationship whereby the community can provide the police with insight into the specific crime problems occurring within their neighbourhoods and can aid the officers in their investigations.

“These partnerships and collaborations are very beneficial to both the police and the community as they close the gap between the police and community by establishing a working relationship and deep engagement between the two.”

Govindsamy urged the public to play a proactive role in ensuring safety and security in their communities.

“The community shares responsibilities with the police, such as street patrols and monitoring in the community. By assuming this responsibility, it means effectively taking charge of your area to combat crime and ensure a safe environment for all. With this partnership, the public becomes the eyes, ears and voice of the SAPS with the aim of crime prevention. Forming patrol groups in your streets involves residents becoming more proactive and aware of the risk of crime and taking action to protect their own property and that of their neighbours.

“In dealing with neighbourhood watches, you should not look at the name given to the activity but to the actual function and set-up thereof. Such action may include reporting suspicious activities and improving home security, which reduce opportunities for crime and increase the risk of detection. Therefore, with community participation, you have more eyes and ears by having more forces in reducing crime,” he said.

He called on the members of the public to form street groups in order to root out criminal activities.

“We cannot be dependent on SAPS to oversee the entire Brighton Beach policing precinct. There is an increase in crime, such as housebreaking; the theft of and from motor vehicles; the theft of copper cables and water meters; yard-hopping, and street robberies, within the sector of The Bluff and the Brighton Beach Policing precinct. It is crucial for us all to keep a watchful eye on suspicious people as your collective effort will deter further attempts. Reporting incidents on crime groups is essential and informative; at the same time, if you are a victim of crime, ensure it is reported and you obtain a case number.

Also read: Bluff CPF embarks on recruitment drive

“Remember, reporting a case when a crime occurs is vital for arrests and connecting criminals to other incidents in our area and neighbouring suburbs. Your input helps us share information with SAPS, CPF groups and security companies, enabling a swift response to apprehend these criminals and keep our suburb safe. When SAPS analyses these crime statistics, they can monitor the trends of the common areas of crime and develop a strategy and operation.”

He also urged residents to alert the authorities first as that is the best way to get support and resolution although the process, especially going through the courts, may be a tortuous one, and they do not always provide the results the victim may feel are fair.

“Without crimes being reported, the authorities, especially SAPS, do not have a clear indication of where and what is happening in the precinct and how best to utilise their resources to provide the most effective crime prevention and detection. SAPS is the primary body responsible for crime management in the area and therefore all crime-related matters should be directed and reported to them, and no individual should take the law into their own hands, which may compromise their safety.

“This increase in the level of crime highlights the importance of community involvement as well as the valuable contribution of security companies in working together with law enforcement agencies to safeguard our community members. We need your support and involvement in curbing crime in the area – we urge you to take the initiative and join the CPF,” he added.

For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram.