Strategic Policing Interventions has three sub-divisions, namely:
- By-laws
- Crime Prevention
- Road Policing
By-laws
By-law policing in the City of Tshwane is envisaged as a catalyst for safety, security and order in the city. In line with the recommendations in the Tshwane Safer City Policy, by-law enforcement requires a coordinated effort from a wide range of officials with varying expertise. Further, strategic by-law policing is seen as contributing towards crime prevention, especially by addressing environmental factors which may be conducive towards crime. In order to give effect to the Safer City Policy, the City of Tshwane has a five-fold by-law policing strategy which prioritises the following:
- The integration of by-law enforcement activities;
- standardisation of by-law enforcement processes;
- implementation of docket process;
- community involvement; and
- a contemporary policing approach.
By-law Enforcement Centre (BEC)
In order to implement the above, the Community Safety Department has launched a By-law Enforcement Centre (BEC) on 1 October 2008, in the City of Tshwane.
The BEC is an integrated, accelerated service delivery model for by-law enforcement. The BEC will act as a hub for all by-law enforcement in the CoT and is an integrated, accelerated service delivery model for by-law enforcement and executes the following functions including:
- Providing strategic direction in terms of by-law enforcement in the form of priorities, areas of focus etc. which are aligned to the strategic objectives of the CoT;
- The formulation of relevant policy and operational procedures in order to ensure uniformity in practices;
- The gathering, management, analysis and integration of city-wide information in terms of by-laws including complaints, investigations, actions etc.;
- The planning, coordinating and execution of by-law enforcement operations;
- Monitoring and evaluation of by-law enforcement interventions;
- Creating a consciousness around the City’s by-laws and the enforcement thereof;
- A single entry point for all by-law complaints in the City of Tshwane; and
- Education and awareness campaigns regarding the city’s by-laws.
Physical address:
Tshwane Metropolitan Police Headquarters, corner of DF Malan and Church Street, Pta West
Tel: 012 358 0070
Toll-free number: 0801 111 556 (Option 1 is for “Fire, ambulance and metro police”. The caller will dial “1”, and then there will be a further voice prompt giving various options: Option 3 is for the By-law Enforcement Centre.)
Crime Prevention
Crime Prevention is defined in the White Paper on Safety & Security, 1998 as:
“All activities which reduce, deter or prevent the occurrence of specific crimes, firstly by altering the environment in which they occur, secondly by changing the conditions which are thought to cause them, and thirdly by providing a strong deterrent in the form of an effective Justice System.” This includes policing.
The nature, high incidence and distressing consequences of crime has resulted in it being regarded a national priority as well as a priority issue for the CoT. The extent and effect of crime demands the attention of all. Government, institutions, organisations, business and social structures all contribute in the addressing of crime.
Crime results in and is a result of other social factors, including lack and/or stagnation in development, socio-economic strata, disrupted social order and a general decline in the quality of life.
The Government’s approach requires the development of wider responsibility for crime prevention and a shift in emphasis from reactive “crime control”, towards a proactive “crime prevention”. The Department of Community Safety has, over the past few years aligned itself to this approach through its Social Crime Prevention, Environmental Design and Re-design Units as well as the Specialised Crime Prevention Operations comprising of Canine and Equestrian Units.
Social Crime Prevention
Social crime prevention is mandated to do the following:
- Develop, co-ordinate and facilitate crime prevention initiatives, projects and programs in Tshwane to eliminate any opportunities for crime;
- prioritise crimes and locations for the development and implementation of projects and programmes;
- monitor and evaluate the implementation of projects & programmes to prevent crime or decrease the opportunities of crime and take corrective measures if necessary;
- to promote social cohesion through conflict resolution, reconciliation, and rebuilding the ‘social fabric’ of our society;
- to work with community groups to raise awareness about social crime prevention; and
- enforce adaptations in crime prevention activities through consultation with other role players and advising of top management
Peace and Development Programme
This programme focuses on crime prevention education and does this through a number of interventions including:
- Scholar patrol
- Danny cat
- Presentations (substance abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, school bullying, community safety, and so on)
- Exhibitions
- Peace and Development Project (client service centres)
- Safer Schools Project
- Road Shows
- Moompi (child safety, HIV/Aids and personal hygiene)
Environmental Design and Re-design
Environmental Design and Re-design is mandated to do the following:
- Develop strategies for the prevention of crime through environmental design to eliminate opportunities for crime and fear thereof;
- monitor and evaluate the implementation of crime prevention through environmental design strategies to prevent crime or to decrease the opportunity for criminal events and take the necessary corrective measures;
- prioritise crimes and the location for the development of and implementation of sound design strategies; and
- enforce adaptations in crime prevention activities (communities) not in line with national government strategies aimed at the prevention of crime through consultation with role-players and advising top management and other municipal departments.
Information Management (Special Operations)
Mission
“To manage and provide a professional specialised service, which will strongly enhance, support and strengthen efforts of the TMPD to root out crime and drug trafficking in Tshwane. The means to achieve these goals will consist of dedicated Metro Police officers, which are thoroughly trained.”
Specialised operations have the following mandate:
- Processing and analysis of information regarding crime prevention, road policing & by-laws enforcement in order to render a professional service;
- prioritising of needs in terms of crime prevention, road policing & by-laws enforcement through communication to subordinates, strategic deployment and rotation of personnel, delegation, motivation, evaluation, discipline and administration and to determine training needs;
- networking with relevant role-players/stake-holders crime prevention, road policing & by-laws enforcement through communication to subordinates, other relevant role-players, delegation and evaluation;
- co-ordination of activities operations and intervention regarding crime prevention, road policing & by-laws enforcement. This entails the ongoing monitoring, evaluation and applications of all road safety, crime prevention & by-laws issue internally as well as externally in order to ensure all strategies are in line with provincial and national strategies;
- operationalizing actions plans regarding crime prevention, road policing & by-laws enforcement: This is achieved through strategic deployment and rotation of personnel according to action plans, communication with shift supervisors, delegation, motivation, evaluation, discipline, administration in order to ensure service delivery.
Road Policing
Road Policing centre's on all activities which reduce, deter or prevent the occurrence of all accidents firstly by ensuring effective and efficient law enforcement, secondly on the monitoring of relevant infrastructure as well as strategic interventions where and when necessary, and thirdly by providing supportive traffic control services with the vision to secure a safe road environment where the community can confidently use all roads in Tshwane without fear for damage, injury or death.