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B’FELL: CRIME DROPS DESPITE LACK OF POLICE RESOURCES
Brackenfell sees drop in crime DESIRÉE RORKE @dezzierorke
A
mid a serious lack of police resources, Brackenfell police have made a call to the Tygerberg police cluster to address the issue as a matter of urgency. The outlook is bleak and is not getting any better, according to Brackenfell Police Station commander, Colonel Willie Joseph, who spoke at a Brackenfell CPF meeting held at Paarl School on Thursday evening. Joseph announced that the station should, according to an audit, have 160 police members. “We only have 106 members. This number includes those who have passed away recently, left the service or are in the process of retirement or resignation,” he said. It also includes the nine officers being deployed at other stations in the region, leaving Brackenfell with fewer than 100 active members. Moreover, it also means that Brackenfell does not have a crime prevention unit, he said. But it is not all doom and gloom, and despite this lack of manpower, crime in Brackenfell has decreased over the last 10 months, due to the strong police/public partnership. Comparative statistics have shown that property crimes in the area decreased between April 2017 and January 2018. When compared to the same period last year, a sharp decrease is noted in motor vehicle theft and burglary at homes and busi-
nesses. Although the incidence of vehicle hijacking increased during this time, Joseph indicated that this was due to the workings of a crime cartel targeting Uber drivers within the Brackenfell area. Seven of these cases have been solved. Within the context of broader crime patterns, this is good news for Brackenfellers. “The northern suburbs are an area known for property crimes, making these decreases significant for us. We will stay focused on the positive and remain committed to serving the community with passion,” he said. He added that the police have no control over the prosecution process. “We often have to ask ourselves whether we have the full support of the Department of Justice concerning prosecution. We make the arrests but have no guarantee that criminals will end up behind bars and stay there for longer than a year. It is common knowledge that the prisons in the Western Cape are overcrowded.” CPF chairperson, Werner Victor, made a renewed call on members of the various neighbourhood watches not to overstep their legal boundaries. “We are only the eyes and ears of the police. Patrollers are not allowed to search anyone or escort them out of areas. We have a mandate and have to stick to it. No intimidation will be tolerated by the CPF and if patrollers are found to overstep their powers, serious action will be taken,” said Victor.
“The outlook is bleak and is not getting any better” – Col Willie Joseph, Brackenfell Police Station commander
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