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CCID Safety & Security introduces new team

By SIMANGELE MZIZI

The CCID’s Safety & Security department has introduced a new impact team to strengthen its efforts to curb crime in the Central City.

The 45-strong team of CCID Safety Ambassadors aims to address antisocial behaviour and petty offences by creating a visible presence in the CCID’s precincts, says CCID Safety & Security manager Muneeb “Mo” Hendricks.

The ambassadors officially assumed their duties on 13 July 2019 and will be on the CBD’s streets until December 2019. The team is split into teams of two with members being deployed during the day and night in high footfall traffic areas such as Long, Loop, Bree and Adderley streets.

Mo explains that when on duty, the CCID Safety Ambassadors are tasked with interacting with locals and tourists alike to create a feeling of safety in the area and a more visible security presence.

WHAT SETS THE SAFETY AMBASSADORS APART

So, what’s the difference between this new team, that wears black bibs with green stripes, and the regular CCID Public Safety Officers (PSOs), that wear lime-green bibs?

Mo says the team of 300 CCID PSOs deal with criminal matters such as robbery and theft out of motor vehicles whilst the new team of Safety Ambassadors deals with lesser offences such as bylaw infringements and antisocial behaviour.

While it’s early days, Mo says he is pleased with how the new team has been received by members of the public. “I’m very happy with the performance of this team thus far as the confidence of the public has returned. The ambassadors are very visible, which changes people’s perceptions, and the number of complaints has dropped drastically in the areas where they are deployed.”

IMAGES: Scott Arendse (CCID Online Coordinator)