New enforcement recruits sign on to serve and protect | Western Cape Government

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New enforcement recruits sign on to serve and protect

1 April 2021

The City, together with WCG, have ensured that the contracts for new LEAP officers were successfully completed on Wednesday, 31 March. 

The new officers will enforce by-laws and assist enforcement agencies with crime prevention, which will include stop and searches and house searches in conjunction with the South African Police Service.

They will hit the ground once they have gone through induction and finalised their training.

‘The safety of our residents remains a priority for the City as is evident by our commitment to LEAP, despite budget limitations. This partnership will assist in ensuring our city is safer and where no resident needs to live in fear. It will not be an easy task, but one the City won’t step back from. We are in this for the long haul’, said the Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato.

All of the officers have undergone the required training, including Peace Officer Training, a Traffic Warden Certificate and training in the by-laws of the City of Cape Town. They will continue to receive further training.

The new recruits will enhance enforcement efforts already under way in areas such as Delft, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Bishop Lavis and Philippi.

‘The officers who have already been deployed continue to make an impact in communities and are making huge inroads into curbing crime. The programme will continue to help keep communities safer and it is worth a reminder that LEAP is not being touted as a magic wand. The crime that plagues our communities will not end overnight, but every firearm confiscated is potentially a life saved. Every arrest, though it may not seem significant, is one more criminal off the street.

‘While safety is the primary responsibility of the South African Police Service, the City continues to contribute to filling the gaps left by inadequate police resources. The officers are deployed in areas where assistance is most needed and while they are doing their part, we need SAPS to step up as well,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

The operational concept includes a visible enforcement presence, relationship-building with residents, businesses and key community structures, information-gathering on crime patterns and key areas of concern, as well as working with other enforcement agencies.

‘During the first three months of this year, officers confiscated 29 firearms and made 757 arrests. The new officers will build on this record and will visit schools, businesses and go door-to-door to build essential relationships with their communities. They will be there as a visible deterrent and provide a faster response to crimes or anti-social behaviour,’ said Alderman Smith.

The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, said the programme was making steady progress in the deployment of the next tranche of LEAP officers.

‘I want to commend these brave women and men for the commitment they have made to improving the safety of residents in the Western Cape. My Department has allocated R350 million to the LEAP programme for the 2021/22 financial year. Through our Area-Based Team approach, we have now established integrated Law Enforcement Technical Committees in six focus areas including Delft, Bishop Lavis, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Philippi and Mitchells Plain. I am confident that they will contribute to halving the murder rate and prevent violence in these communities.

‘I am pleased to announce that this month, we deployed a new cohort to Mitchells Plain who will be topped up with additional officers at a later stage. Our next tranche of 500 law enforcement officers will join the cohort by October 2021 as officers complete their training. This tranche will benefit Kraaifontein, Harare, Mfuleni and Gugulethu. Going forward, we will request that Provincial Treasury continue to provide additional funding for the LEAP programme,’ added Minister Fritz.

Media Enquiries: 

Cayla Ann Tomás Murray
Spokesperson for Minister Albert Fritz
Tel: 021 483 9217
Cell: 064 121 7959
Email: Cayla.murray@westerncape.gov.za­