Provincial Policing Needs and Priorities 2015/16

Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

The determination of the 2015/2016 Policing Needs and Priorities (PNP) for the Western Cape kicks off this weekend in Paarl and will see public engagement sessions held in all 16 police clusters, reaching all communities in the province before the end of the year.

For the first time since it was conceived, the newly structured 2-day PNP consultations will result in a practical and implementable safety plan that is aligned to the safety needs and priorities within every community across the Western Cape.

To support these new safety plans, the Department of Community Safety is making almost R15 million available to support local Community Policing Forums (CPFs) and to facilitate programmes such as training of Neighbourhood Watch members and the Youth Safety Work Programme which programmes are responsive to the safety needs and priorities within communities.

Over the next six months the Department of Community Safety will bring together various stakeholders in the safety and security environment for each of the 16 public engagements. The engagements will take the format of a two-day consultative workshop and will include representatives of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Municipalities, Community Police Forums (CPFs), Community Safety Forums (CSF), non-governmental organisations, community based organisations, faith based organisations, Neighbourhood Watches (NHW), and other local safety stakeholders.

The aim of the workshops is to use the information generated by the 2014/15 PNP process – the findings and recommendations – together with the various Integrated Development Plan (IDP) engagements as a starting point for discussions at policing cluster and precinct level in formulating a holistic safety plan for each area.

Emphasis will be placed on cooperation, joint planning and implementation in an attempt to address the policing needs and priorities locally, as well as to influence the alignment of all safety resources to the policing needs and priorities in all areas.

The Department of Community Safety remains committed to its Constitutional mandate as stipulated in Section 206(1) of the Constitution which states that the Cabinet Minister (national) responsible for policing “must determine national policing policy after consulting the provincial governments and taking into account the policing needs and priorities of the provinces as determined by the provincial executives”.

The key objectives of the PNP project are:

• To identify policing needs and priorities in the Western Cape from a community perspective;
• To influence the allocation and deployment of policing and safety resources in line with the safety needs identified; and
• To guide and influence the formulation of policing priorities at National, Provincial and Local Sphere of government to ensure responsiveness to the  policing needs and priorities of communities.

In 2014/15 the Department of Community Safety utilised a whole-of-society approach in determining the 2014/15 PNPs through identifying the perceived causes, motivators and opportunities for crime per police precinct and per cluster in the province.

The 2015/16 PNPs will develop the shared safety plans in response to these and in consultation with the various role players who have influence over resource allocation and deployment. The Safety Plan, as a safety blueprint for communities, provides a shared ownership, responsibility and accountability to safety not only to the communities who are served by the plan but between the various safety role players involved as well.

Safety remains everyone’s responsibility and we need to not only work Better Together, but smarter and more efficient as well.

The Department of Community Safety (DoCS) has committed through its Expanded Public Partnership (EPP) process, R4.5 million to CPFs in order to implement and sustain the implementation of safety plans.

The Department will render support to initiatives which will support the Community Safety Improvement Plan (CSIP) which focuses on three outcomes:

• The promotion of  professional  policing through effective oversight,
• The promotion of safety at all public buildings and spaces, and
• Building local capacity through the establishment of viable safety partnerships.

More information on the PNP consultation process, or to confirm attendance:

Tel: 021 483 6370;
Email: PolicingNeeds.andPriorities@westerncape.gov.za or,
register your organisation on our database. 

Please find the full list of public meetings updated venues and times here. 

I am excited for the new PNP 2015/16 process as we continue focusing on creating safer communities, Better Together.