Topic: Sector Policing

1. What is Sector Policing?

Sector policing is an approach to policing whereby the service area of a police station is divided into smaller, manageable areas known as sectors. For each sector, the SAPS appoints a police official who is known as the sector commander.

The community and its sector commander are active partners in ensuring local safety and security.

The sector commander involves all role-players in :

• identifying the policing needs in the sector; and
• dealing with the root causes of crime and factors that contribute to crime.

The goal is to bring about effective crime prevention by launching intelligence-driven crime-prevention projects in partnership with the local community.

2. Advantages of Sector Policing

Sector Policing:

• is a practical form of community policing as it involves policing smaller, more manageable areas;
• ensures more effective crime prevention, because attention is given to the causes of crime and the factors and circumstances that allow crime to take place in a sector;
• contributes to community involvement, which leads to sound partnerships between the police and the community;
• encourages and enables communities to take greater responsibility for their own safety and security;
• improves the relationship between the police and the community, which increases the community=s trust in, respect for and understanding of the police, reduces the fear of crime and improves service delivery by the police; and
• is policing at its most basic.

3. What is the Role of the Sector Commander?

The sector commander must:

• implement short-term - medium-term and long-term strategies to eradicate the factors that contribute to crime;
• report identified problems at the daily Station Crime Forum (SCF) meetings to launch crime-prevention strategies or projects to deal with those issues;
• gather the necessary information to develop and implement effective and practical crime-prevention strategies for the sector;
• to mobilise and organise the community to jointly act against local crime; and
• to act as liaison between the community and the local police station;

As a crime prevention officer, he/she is responsible for the plans and projects to address crime in the sector.

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4. What is the Role of the Community?

Community members must attend SCF meetings to discuss action plans with the sector commander in order to deal with crime in the sector;

• launch and participate in neighbourhood initiatives to safeguard the community;
• provide information and inputs to prevent crime in the sector;
• actively support sector policing by volunteering as reservists in the sectors;
• get involved by contacting the sector commander and secure the neighbourhood;local businesses, councillors, resident associations and community leaders are called upon to participate in all efforts to deal with factors that contribute to crime in the sector.

5. Understanding Sector Policing Implementation Phases Sector Policing has Five Implementation Phases

5.1 Phase One: Determine Sector Boundaries

The station commissioner must divide the local policing area into sectors, by thoroughly analysing the crime situation in that area. The sectors must be manageable for the sector commanders. The following factors must be considered in fixing the boundaries of sectors:

• Alignment with CAS blocks and municipal wards
• Infrastructure such as main roads, railway lines, and bus and taxi routes and terminals
• Demographic features such as population size, cultural diversity, and the distribution and size of suburbs, industrial areas, residential area, business areas, farms and small holdings
• Common needs of the various community interest groups
• Geographical size and topographical features of the policing areas, such as mountain ranges and rivers

5.2 Phase Two: Appoint Sector Commander and Sector Team

The station commissioner must discuss the appointment of sector commanders and sector teams for each sector with the prescribed selection panel. The following is important:

• Sector commanders must have good communication, presentation and marketing skills. Creativity and determination are also recommended qualities.
• To ensure the right persons are appointed, the recommended competency profile must be used.
• At least two reservists should be recruited to assist the sector commander.

5.3 Phase Three: Compile a Sector Profile

The sector commander must draw up a sector profile. The sector profile must be based on the station profile. It must set out the policing needs of the sector regarding improved service delivery and police/community relations.

A sector profile is a planning tool that gives the police direction in identifying the needs, concerns, perceptions and abilities of sector communities.

The sector commander must update the sector profile regularly as new issues emerge or as the community changes. Collecting information for the sector profile should involve active interaction and consultation with the community.

5.4 Phase Four: Establish Sector Crime Forum (SCF)

The station commissioner must hold a meeting with the main role-players in the sector to establish a Sector Crime Forum (SCF)

The SCF must:

• consist of the general public, as well as local businesses, local councillors, resident associations and identified community leaders;
• use available communication mechanisms, such as community radio stations, community meetings and local newspapers to market sector policing; and
• hold regular meetings to discuss the sector crime profile, identify and analyse safety and security problems and come up with plans of action to deal with the identified problems.

The SCF must have a sound working relationship with the Community Policing Forum. Existing CPF subforums should, where necessary, take on the role of the SCF to avoid duplicating the function of similar bodies.

5.5 Phase Five: SCF Activities

The chairperson or a nominated representative from each SCF attends the CPF executive or general meetings.

After the safety and security needs of the sector have been identified and prioritised, the members of the SCF can then determine the best possible actions to be taken, for example, to consult the local municipality regarding poor street lightning.

Should your have any queries, please contact :

The Directorate: Partnership Policing at the following numbers:

Tel: (012) 421 8326 / (012) 421 8318

Fax: (012) 421 8310

E-mail:vdwesthuizen@saps.org.za
FOR ATTENTION: SUPERINTENDENT R THIRBENI

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