Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Manenberg detective in line for national title
A MANENBERG policeman’s impressive 85 percent success rate in solving cases has earned him the honour of being named the Western Cape’s top detective.
Now he’s in line to compete for the national title of South Africa’s top detective.
But Detective Constable Daryl van Noie, stationed at Manenberg, is no stranger to awards, having taken the “catch of the year award” in 2011 and again last year, at station level.
The accolades are welcome, Van Noie says, but work remains his priority.
“I’m ecstatic about winning the award, and having the chance to represent the Western Cape and our police station at the national awards. However, work comes first. Getting acknowledged for the work you do is wonderful, but serving justice and seeing the smiles of complainants (when we solve crimes) is the best reward for us,” he said this week.
The announcements were made last weekend.
Van Noie graduated from the police academy in 2005 and began as a detective constable. He has been stationed in Manenberg for the past eight years.
He attributes his success rate – between 85 and 90 percent of the 50 new cases which arrive in his office every month – to a good relationship with the community, and staying on top of problem areas.
“You have to have a good relationship with the commu- nity. Communication is the most important thing for a police officer; without it you can’t do your job effectively. It also means you’re on call all the time, whether from your colleagues and superiors, or the residents. I put in a 60-hour work week, and that includes time outside my official hours. But if someone needs my help, even in the middle of the night, I can’t say no.”
There are other hurdles too, like “when the people you put in jail come back to the area, it makes you think about possible revenge attacks”.
“But it’s part of the job, it requires total dedication.”
Van Noie always carries his trusty camera with him, keeping photos of repeat offenders or suspects.
“Tracking down the suspect before the goods can be sold is essential to solving the case and getting a conviction. If the victim can identify the suspect from my camera, it gives me an immediate lead in the case,” he explained.
In one of his most memorable cases, Van Noie bust a theft and housebreaking syndicate operating from a Manenberg flat.
“The operation was quite sophisticated. They would break into people’s homes in areas like Somerset West around midnight, and before 3am the goods would be back at the flat, packed and ready to be shipped off by courier to prospective buyers.
“We used a tracker installed in a stolen cellphone and traced them to the flat. We found several stolen laptops, cellphones and even a quad bike. The value of the items was about R300 000,” he said.