Work together in war against crime

IT’S too ghastly to even visualise what life in a country without a police force would be like.

South Africans would be left in a state of chaos and disorder where there is no respect for law and nobody to turn to for help and protection.

This is precisely why all of us should be deeply concerned at news of a growing number of citizens losing faith in the effectiveness of our men and women in blue, whose job it is to maintain peace, enforce the laws of the land, protect the people from criminals and help ensure the safety of people.

It is cause for even greater concern when seen against the background of our current crime statistics, which make for grim reading.

The latest Victims of Crime survey released by Statistics SA presents a clear picture of the climate of fear haunting many communities, where people are constantly looking over their shoulders to avoid becoming victims.

The majority of citizens don’t feel safe walking alone in their own neighbourhoods at night.

Restoring public confidence in the police force will require a multi-dimensional approach and should begin with those in leadership in government.

If what is required is more police visibility, regular police patrols, roadblocks and higher levels of morale and efficiency in the force, then government must ensure there are sufficient funds and resources to enable the police to perform their tasks effectively.

Leadership within the police force will also need to be jacked up. Improve levels of discipline; get rid of dead wood at police stations not performing to agreed standards; and act swiftly and decisively against slack and corrupt members of the force.

Police also need to work closely with the prosecuting authorities to ensure that crime suspects who are arrested are brought to court, prosecuted and if convicted, are not allowed to slip through the cracks of the criminal justice system.

While it is reassuring that the police minister, commissioner and other leading lights in the force appear to be communicating more effectively with communities in these times, they will ultimately be measured by their results, not the promises they may make on public platforms.

Members of the public also have a pivotal role to play and that is best achieved by working with the police in their respective communities.

We all want a safe and stable South Africa. To achieve this, we need to work together to win the war against crime.