Stay within the law, say police as residents tackle neighbourhood crime

Frustrated with police responses that they say are slow, a group of Nemato residents have joined forces to tackle crime in their area under the banner of the Port Alfred Crime Fighters (PACF).

Meanwhile, the police have reiterated a general plea to neighbourhood “anti-crime” groups to avoid taking the law into their own hands, and risking breaking the law themselves.

PACF is not affiliated to the Community Police Forum (CPF). PACF member Bonakele

Moyikwa said victims of crime usually approached them, providing them with information about alleged crimes. Using their networks and knowledge of the area, the group tracked down suspects.

“The community has confidence in us,” Moyikwa said. “Many of them have resorted to reporting criminal incidents to the group because of our ‘fast to act’ response.”

Moyikwa said the group had daily patrols around the eNdlovini area.

“We work extra hard during the weekend,” Moyikwa said.

Illegal substances and weapons were regularly confiscated during their street patrols, he said.

“Another issue in the community is the purchasing of stolen goods,” Moyikwa said.

“We have put in place a system of fines: if someone buys stolen item they have to return them and pay a fine to the Crime Fighters group, this way the Crime Fighters can also put together money to ensure the group has safe equipment and uniform for their patrols.

“People from the community expect fast solutions to their urgent matters, and that is what we do,” Moyikwa said.

Moyikwa said the group was in the process of registering as NPO; however, it was not affiliated to the Community Policing Forum (CPF).

Talk of the Town asked SAPS to comment in general on the formation by communities of “anti-crime” groups that were not aligned to local CPFs.

We asked the following specific questions:

What is the policy of SAPS as the official law-enforcement agency towards these groups?

What interaction, if any, does SAPS have with these groups?

SAPS spokesperson Captain Marius McCarthy said SAPS had several platforms for involving communities in crime fighting efforts.

“Their function is to maintain a structural approach in the fight against crime, in partnership with the community,” McCarthy told Talk of the Town.

The first was the Community in Blue patrollers, sometimes drawn from various ‘anti-crime’ groups.

“Neighbourhood Watch and patrol groups are being registered and screened to make sure patrollers have no criminal records or pending cases.

“They group members also have to sign a code of conduct,”

McCarthy said.

Sector policing was another platform for police to meet with communities in the smaller, more manageable area of a precinct.

“A sector manager (SAPS member) will be appointed to establish a sector crime forum to address the root causes of crime.”

The SAPS encouraged community members help fight crime through their local community police forum, and youth desk in their station area.

“When SAPS interacts with ‘anti-crime’ groups that are not aligned to their local CPF, this is done to educate them about criminal law and methods to report crime,” McCarthy said.

“This is also to encourage them to never become vigilantes and take the law into their own hands which could lead to them being criminals.”