First 500 new law enforcement officers ready to tackle crime

The fight against crime in the Western Cape received a significant boost today as 500 new learner law enforcement officers took part in the official passing out parade, signaling the start of their deployment.

 The 500 officers are part of the City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Advancement Program (LEAP), which is jointly funded by the Western Cape Government in line with the Western Cape Safety Plan.

 Each of the 500 recruits will now be deployed into communities based on data and crime trends. In the Western Cape, ten areas account for nearly 50% of all the province’s murders. The first three areas into which they will be deployed are: Delft, Khayelitsha Site C and Phillippi, including Hanover Park.

 Deployment will be progressive, and as new Law Enforcement Officers are recruited, will expand into more areas. The next 500 Learner LEOs will be deployed later this year, and recruitment for these officers is already underway.

 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 have also received, and will continue to receive further training.

Premier Winde said: “We promised the people of this province that we will do everything in our power to make it a safer place to live. Today, the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town will be significantly boosting the number of boots on the ground, as a deterrent to crime in communities most impacted by it.”

“This is just one aspect of our safety plan. We are also implementing a wide range of initiatives, across departments, aimed at violence prevention.”

 “When I came into this office in 2018 there was a clear need to prioritise the safety of our residents and I allocated a significant portion of the budget to enable the recruitment of additional officers and the purchasing of more patrol vehicles. Today is evidence of how much more we can achieve when we work together, and I look forward to continuing this partnership with the Western Cape Government that will see even more law enforcement officers on the streets of Cape Town. It is my hope that other spheres of government will see what can be achieved when we work together and will want to work with us too,” said Dan Plato, Executive Mayor of Cape Town.

 The 500 law enforcement officers signed employment contracts with the City of Cape Town at the end of January and will be contracted until June 2023.

 The Western Cape Safety Plan envisages a deployment of officers to areas where crime is most prevalent, as part of its focus on increasing evidence-based policing resources on the ground.