Reward for police officers

AFTER winning a provincial award for arresting 28 suspects and recovering about 20 illegal firearms in the Steenberg precinct, the women and men in blue were again honoured at an awards ceremony in the St Augustine Cricket Club last night.

The awards ceremony was hosted by the Steenberg Police Station management and Community Policing Forum (CPF).

“The CPF embarked on this initiative to show appreciation to our men and ladies in blue, who are doing a sterling job in an ungrateful world, and very seldom thanked for going above the call of duty to maintain law and order under dangerous circumstances.

“As well as the support staff who go unnoticed most times,” said Steenberg CPF chairperson Gavin Walbrugh.

Officers who were recognised from the crime prevention shift that confiscated the most weapons and ammunition were: Sergeant Donovan Prins, Constable Adan September, Constable Christelle Cloete, Constable Elbert Cloete, Constable Lionel Lucas and Constable Ncedo Ndyamara.

Steenberg crime statistics showed a drop in the number of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

It dropped from 90 to 87 for the 2017-2018 financial year.

Detective-sergeant Nazel Dlamini was honoured for investigating the Rene Roman murder and was instrumental in securing a double life sentence. Sergeant Marc Lucas secured long-term sentences of renowned gang members in Lavender Hill.

This is the third consecutive year that the CPF has undertaken these awards.

“We included members on the planning committee and already this has shown a difference in attitude as they are part of the planning and this encourages them to step out of their comfort zones,” said Walbrugh.