Civilian Oversight: Overview

Civilian Oversight's aim is to increase safety in communities by improving the performance of policing through effective oversight. The programme reports on the state of policing in the province based on the information gathered through regular oversight visits to all police stations, research in the field of policing, dealing with service delivery complaints against SAPS and regular interaction with all role players such as CPFs and CSF.

Civilian Oversight consists of two sub-programmes - Policy and Research, and Monitoring and Evaluation.

Policy and Research

• Assists the department with analysing systems aimed at independent gathering of safety information.
• Establishes analyses of such information with the objective of determining the policing needs and priorities for the province.
• Enables the department to accurately determine the policing needs and priorities, based on safety information that was gathered through oversight function and research.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Uses the oversight mandate of the province to improve policing in the province, which results in increased safety.
• Improves police performance and monitors police conduct by conducting regular visits and inspections of all police stations.
• Evaluates police efficiency and effectiveness, and deals with service delivery complaints against the police from communities.
• The promotion of the Departmental complaints line.

The Department also values community feedback, and encourages all citizens to make use of our information helpline. By texting the word “INFO” to 35 395 (SMS charged at R1) citizens will receive an automated menu of services. The menu of services will invite the citizen to SMS any key word, on the list provided, which will grant the user access to safety information. EG: If you SMS word “Complaints” the department will then contact the citizen to get more information in order to take the matter further. If you text the word “PNP”, you would receive information about our community policing needs and priorities meetings.

Upon using the service, contact details are stored on a database, and the Department is then able to inform communities of events, and programs in their respective areas. An opt out function is available at any given time.

Having shared the above, it is safe to say, that DOCS is committed to creating safer communities, Better Together.