Cops to drive anti-crime plan
2009-05-18 11:16
Cape Town - The police department will become the centre point around which a comprehensive and aggressive strategy to fight crime will revolve.
Amongst other things, the strategy requires closer co-operation between the police, SANDF and intelligence services, as well as the formation of a co-ordinated, broad front consisting of the state, business and citizens.
"Write there that the government has declared war on criminals," said Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, on Sunday.
"They [criminals] clearly aren't getting the message. We are strong and ready to face the crime bull and tackle it by the horns."
This new strategy will be founded on the fact that the police are smarter (with the help of intelligence and forensic services) and will tackle the problem on a personal level, with the help of greater interaction with the community.
Army to assist police
Mthethwa on Sunday confirmed that the government plans to allow the army to assist the police in certain cases, and also to get the unemployed involved in fighting crime.
These plans, which have been fine-tuned for some time now, will be announced this week by Mthethwa when the new head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation - the replacement of the Scorpions - is elected.
"We'll stay with the new unit's date of establishment [July 1]. It's important that our crime fighting units know who their leaders are.
"The imminent end of Jackie Selebi's contract will also bring an end to this complication, and a new chief of police will soon be appointed," said Mthethwa, who was appointed as minister of safety and security in September 2008, and was appointed minister of police by President Jacob Zuma.
Mthethwa would like the SANDF, and not the police, to protect the borders of the country, although this has not yet been decided.
"It's a strain on our resources, and if the army could fulfil this function, as is the case in most other countries, it would mean we'd have more police officers on the streets."
The SANDF as well as the reservists could also be applied elsewhere with even greater benefit. "Most of the time, trained members of the reservist force do nothing. They should be used to help stop the plague of cash-in-transit heists, by helping to keep the cash-in-transit vans safe."
Unemployed youths will be encouraged to become part of community policing forums. They will be trained and taught to be the police's eyes and ears on the ground, Mthethwa explained.
"We're looking for people who want to make a patriotic contribution, people who don't just want to sit on the sideline and criticise."