Kids become cops

2007-03-28 07:48

Johannesburg - High school students are joining the fight against crime by becoming "learner cops", the safety and security department said on Tuesday.

"We want everyone to see themselves as police officers... everyone must take responsibility to fight crime in their communities," said spokesperson Nosisa Sogayise.

The Schoemansdal police station near Nelspruit in Mpumalanga appointed its first student police commissioner on March 17 - grade 10 pupil Samson Zitha from the Tintlontla high school.

Zitha was selected as police commissioner as he "bubbled with the best ideas" on fighting crime, said project co-ordinator at the Schoemansdal police station Inspector Thulani Mnizi.

Mnizi said one "learner cop" was selected from every school in the policing precinct - a grade 10 pupil from the high schools and a grade six pupil from the primary schools.

Excellent response from community

"The young people are the victims of crime, drugs in schools, the carrying of dangerous weapons - these are the reasons why we have this project," he said.

The students were selected a week ago and their first meeting with police, a camping trip, will take place in a few weeks.

"The response to the programme was excellent, there is so much interest from the community, everyone is so willing to get involved."

Zitha will liaise with the station commissioner about school safety issues, Sogayise said.

He will form part of the station's crime combating forum and participate in youth forums. This will assist police to better understand the youth and change the youth's mindset about policing.

"The commissioner will liaise with the police on issues of safety to maximise crime fighting in the area and make the youth more aware of crime. Their key priority will be to report whatever crime that happens around them," she said.

The "learner cops" will promote school safety programmes and will be at the "forefront of fighting crime", especially crime affecting fellow students.

Sogayise said her department believed the project would discourage criminal behaviour in the youth, develop a link between schools and the police and also encourage students to consider policing as a career for themselves.

"The aim is to create a dedicated SA Police Service that will assist in creating excellent future policemen and women."

- SAPA