Fighting crime is everyone’s responsibility – it’s not only the duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies. The best way to get involved is to actively participate in the sector policing of your area, says Cape Town CCID (CT CCID) Safety & Security manager Muneeb “Mo” Hendricks.
There are huge benefits to participating in sector policing, says Mo. “The most important benefit is that you can voice your concerns and issues to the sector manager in charge of your specific area. This way you can ensure you are being heard ... you will get to know the sector manager, become knowledgeable about the amount and kind of crimes being committed in your neighbourhood and how they are being solved, share knowledge with the police, meet other stakeholders with similar concerns and become part of the solution,” he says.
TAKE A STAND
“Sector meetings are held once a month and it’s important to attend these as you will have direct contact with your sector manager, the police officer responsible for policing your area,” Mo says. Members of the public can also get the number of the cell phone allocated to the sector policing vehicle that patrols their area, he says.
Capt Ezra October of corporate communication at Cape Town Central police station says sector or community policing, which was established in 2014, is a two-way partnership between the SAPS and various communities. “It provides a platform for addressing issues and concerns about crime, and also helps the police to combat crime,” he confirms.
The CCID Safety & Security department works closely with the SAPS on crime awareness campaigns and joint crime prevention operations to reduce crime in the CBD.
HOW SECTOR POLICING WORKS
Each police station area is divided up into sectors, which are run by a sector commander. “The sector commanders have an intimate knowledge of the crime threats and patterns of their sector, the infrastructure and population and the resources available to police the sector,” Mo explains.
The City Bowl is divided into six sectors. Of these, Sector 1 (which comprises the CBD and Gardens) – and parts of sectors 4 (the Foreshore and Zonnebloem) and 6 (the Station and the Parade) – fall within the geographical area of the CCID, which stretches from Buitensingel to FW de Klerk Boulevard and from Buitengracht to Canterbury streets.
The other City Bowl sectors are: Sector 2 (Vredehoek and Devil’s Peak), Sector 3 (Tamboerskloof, the Bo-Kaap and De Waterkant) and Sector 5 (Oranjezicht).
Says Mo: “The CCID Safety & Security department – which oversees about 270 public safety officers (PSOs) contracted to us by Iliso Protection Services and who work around the clock to maintain safety in the CBD – works closely with the police to combat crime in the Central City.
“We also manage the Sector Forum which is held in the area with stakeholders,” says Mo, who is the chairperson of sectors 1, 4 and 6. “We hold meetings every month and I invite members of the public to attend,” he says.
BECOME PART OF THE SOLUTION
Capt October says there is a need for all stakeholders to work together on crime prevention strategies that can be sustained. “The Community Police Forum (CPF), of which sector policing forms part, is a multi-disciplinary approach to fighting crime. We want to promote co-operation between all role players so that criminals can be brought to justice.”
Mo urges the public to be vigilant and report suspicious activity or behaviour to the police or to the CCID, and if a crime has been committed, people need to follow through and open a criminal case with the SAPS “and not let criminals off the hook”. “We all have to play our part: evil prevails when good people do nothing,” he says.
The sector commanders are:
Sector 1: Capt Richard Lourens
Sector 2: Capt Adolf Carstens (Devil's Peak and Vredehoek); Sgt Glen Machelm (CBD and Gardens)
Sector 3: Sgt Hein Pommer (Tamboerskloof); Const Louis Texeira (Bo-Kaap and Green Point)
Sector 4: Const Prabu Pillay (Foreshore, CBD, District Six, Zonnebloem, Springfield Terrace)
Sector 5: Capt Adolf Carstens (Oranjezicht)
Sector 6: Sgt Rodney Franks (Grand Parade, station deck and CT Railway Station until FW De Klerk Drive)
CAPTION: From left to right: Sgt Hein Pommer (Sector 3, Tamboerskloof), Capt Adolf Carstens (Sector 2, Devil's Peak and Vredehoek, and Sector 5), Const Louis Texeira (Sector 3, Bo-Kaap and Green Point), Capt Richard Lourens (Sector 1), Sgt Ashley Franks (Sector 6), Sgt Glen Machelm (Sector 2, CBD and Gardens), Const Prabu Pillay (Sector 4, Foreshore, CBD, District Six, Springfield Terrace).
Image: Scott Arendse, CCID Online Coordinator