The National Police Day of the South African Police
Service (SAPS) remembers the sacrifices that our men and
women in blue have made and continue to make as they
provide safety for all who live in South Africa. The
SAPS continues to applaud those members who give dignity
to the blue uniform and especially honour the bravery of
those members whose commitment was met with loss of
life.
Ever since Cabinet approved National Police Day on 27
January in 2005, the SAPS, together with diverse
communities and other stakeholders, has celebrated this
day. On Sunday, 27 January 2008 all police stations will
engage the families and friends of police and civilian
employees at events arranged at the stations. This
effort aims to give recognition to members' families for
the sacrifices they make as their sons and daughters
engage in efforts to curb crime daily. It also serves to
mobilise communities in a partnership against crime. An
intensive week-long programme focusing on the well-being
of employees, as well as improving service delivery
nationwide will follow Police Day.
During this period the SAPS will also reflect on
their achievements and what still needs to be done to
create safer environments for all people in South
Africa. This is driven by Government=s clear intention
to reduce serious and violent crime, and in particular
contact crimes, by 7 to 10% a year. Contact crimes are
crimes such as murder, rape, assault and indecent
assault - crimes in which there is contact between the
perpetrator and the victim.
This week the Management Forum of the SAPS gave the
assurance that they will continue to meet the
obligations and responsibilities entrusted to them in
terms of the Constitution and the South African Police
Service Act. Clearly policing will continue as members
of the SAPS at all levels are encouraged to focus on
delivering service to the communities, and in so doing
ensure public safety.
The SAPS gives the assurance that they intend
enhancing policing duties to ensure that the SAPS remain
focused on its priorities, with renewed vigour.
In a bid to reinforce policing closer to local
communities the implementation of sector policing
continues apace, resulting in the prioritising of those
police stations with high levels of contact crime. Thus
far, sector policing has been implemented at 76% of
these police stations.
The SAPS Information Technology priorities allow the
police to be a step ahead of criminals, providing a
competitive edge in combating crime. The way in which
information on criminals and evidence of crimes is
gathered, recorded, analysed and presented has therefore
changed dramatically over the past few years. The
Hi-Tech Project Centre of the SAPS now provides for an
improved co-ordinated approach to crime information and
the use of available skills and technology. Improvements
in the AFIS (fingerprint) technology environment
received special attention so that crime-related
fingerprints can be linked more rapidly with suspects=
previous convictions. The SAPS Forensic Science
Laboratory is now equipped with devices ensuring the
safekeeping of exhibit material and case files, thereby
preventing the cross-contamination of such evidence.
Simultaneously, an automated DNA analysis system has
been implemented, making it possible to analyse DNA
samples more rapidly. Satellite capabilities were
established at various police stations situated in the
rural areas. This provides for the effective tracking
and dispatching of police officials to incidents of
crime.
In line with Government's Programme of Action, the
SAPS is involved in various activities relating to
social crime prevention. A number of stations
countrywide have now established victim-friendly
facilities.
In 2007 the SAPS recovered 22 936 firearms and 40 590
vehicles during day-to-day operations. 160 718 firearms
were destroyed. In 2008/2009 SAPS aims to reduce contact
crimes by 7% and recover 85% of all lost/stolen
firearms, thereby addressing the proliferation of
firearms.
The commitment of the SAPS to combating organised
crime was evident in the past year where 913 cases were
taken to court, which involved the arrest of 127
syndicate leaders and 704 members. The Commercial Branch
arrested a further 7 648 persons.
During 2007 the preventing of crime against women and
children intensified as the Family Violence, Child
Protection and Sexual Offences Units made 25 942 arrests
from the 48 949 cases dealt with by them.
In order to improve the capacity of the SAPS to
perform security functions at our borders and during the
2010 FIFA World Cup, the number of employees will
increase from the approximate 165 000 members to 193 000
by the end of 2009/2010. This will be complemented by
the expansion of the Department's vehicle fleet,
equipment supplies, technological infrastructure, and
reservists.
Members of the SAPS are expected to comply with the
SAPS Code of Conduct and Ethics, which prescribes and
emphasises the importance of ethical behaviour and
integrity for all employees. During 2008 the SAPS will
further the implementation of the Corruption and Fraud
Prevention Plan, which seeks to address fraud and
corruption within its ranks proactively and reactively.
The SAPS campaign, ACT - Against Crime Together, will
be strengthened throughout 2008 by means of the National
Anti-crime Project of Government. The campaign will
mobilise government and civil society and other
stakeholders in a partnership to reduce levels of crime
in South Africa. This message will be relayed through
continued unmediated communication with all sectors of
society, izimbizos, and marketing campaigns. It will
serve to mobilise persons to ACT- Against Crime Together
and report drug trafficking, the illegal possession of
firearms, violence against women and children, rape and
sexual offences, suspected criminals and their
activities such as cash-in-transit heists and other
robberies. This can be done anonymously to the SAPS
Crime Stop Line 08600 10111 or saps website,
www.saps.gov.za.
Partnerships such as the one between the SAPS and
Prime Media, namely ACrime Line@, are already bearing
fruit. Community members are invited to blow the whistle
anonymously on crime and criminals. After just five
months, more than 250 suspects have been arrested.
In extending service delivery, the public are further
encouraged to interact with the police on its police
website. The public is able to liaise directly with all
police stations to enquire about progress made in the
investigation of cases, report corruption or any service
provided by the SAPS. Information on crimes committed,
criminal activity, wanted suspects, missing persons,
corrupt activities, and poor service delivery can be
reported anonymously by visiting the website (www.saps.gov.za).
The Minister for Safety and Security, Mr Charles Nqakula,
his Deputy Minister, Susan Shabangu, and top management
of the SAPS have affirmed their unwavering commitment to
further reducing levels of crime in South Africa,
providing for improved quality in service delivery and
rooting out corrupt activity among its employees. Hence,
the SAPS remain committed to improving the level of
performance at stations, including that of its managers,
improving command and control and ensuring the
responsible use of police/state resources - to the
benefit of communities. The recent introduction of an
SAPS management and performance tool identifies
non-performing stations, where interventions for better
policing need to be undertaken, at a glance.
To this end one can also appreciate the contribution
made by every person in South Africa in supporting the
efforts of the SAPS, thereby acknowledging that crime
cannot be dealt with effectively by the police alone.
Indeed, establishing workable partnerships with
communities in the fight against crime and inculcating
due respect among our people for the Rule of Law, will
make a marked difference in our fight against criminals
and criminality. As law-abiding communities forge
enduring partnership with the police, life will become
more difficult for the criminals.
Let us ACT Against Crime Together and build a safer
South Africa for all. |
