New crime programme for TV
2009-10-08 10:05
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Pretoria - A new crime programme is coming to SABC2 on Monday nights before 7de Laan.
When Duty Calls is about real crime in South Africa and will look at the tough reality of police work.
It is based on Police File, the popular programme of the 1980s and 1990s in which members of the public were asked to help find missing people and children and to help catch criminals on the run.
The programme came to an end in the 1990s before coming back to the small screen in 2003, but due to the 11:30 time slot, it was never as popular again.
Back in the day, Police File, had a success rate of 60% in closing unfinished cases, said the director of the programme at the time, senior superintendent Anton Deetlefs.
Crime prevention
He said When Duty Calls would be more focused on getting people involved in crime prevention.
"It is to inform people about crime, but… it must also inspire people to do something. We focus on crime prevention now," said Deetlefs.
Commissioner Bheki Cele, the national police chief, chose the programme's name.
Deetlefs said police would be responsible for the production of the programme themselves.
Cele, Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, and Fikile Mbalula, the deputy minister, will officially launch the programme in conjunction with the SABC in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, on Thursday.
Senior superintendent Tummi Golding, the police national spokesperson for crime intelligence and Interpol, will be the presenter.
Golding said on Wednesday she was very excited about the programme. "It is important that people see how police officials work and what they go through each day. They should see the risks…"
When Duty Calls begins on SABC2 on October 12 at 18:00.
