Cape Town - The Grabouw Community Policing Forum (CPF) observed a decrease in crime during this festive season compared to the previous years as they rolled out patrol services for the first time.
The CPF chairperson in Grabouw, David Williams, said ever since they launched an ‘Operational Safer Community Festive Season’ led by a group of 35 Youth Patrol Services on December 5, they have observed few crime incidents in their area.
They launched this plan in partnership with Grabouw Law Enforcement and South African Police Services to ensure that communities are safe and people are able to walk around in their communities.
The patrol service led by a group of 35 Grabouw Youth Patroller officers was created in March this year, and it is facilitated by the Grabouw CPF.
Williams said they had seen a decrease in the number of crime incidents.
“In comparison to other years, this year we have seen a decrease (of crime) with patrol officers that we are having in our community – we call them Orange Bibs. It has had an impact in the decrease of crime in Grabouw,” Williams said.
“So these groups of young people are out there every day of the festive season and what they simply do is that they go to the hotspots community areas promoting safety, patrolling those areas and confiscating dangerous weapons and handing them over to SAPS and ensuring that every resident in Grabouw feels safe,” Williams said.
They also do their patrols in the illegal shebeens and spaza shops as part of their mandate and report to the police.
Yesterday, SAPS reported that the Overberg Flying Squad and Grabouw Crime Prevention Unit arrested two people in possession of drugs after a tip from sources.
The first arrest was that of a 24-year-old man where 226 tik straws and five sachets were seized in Van Wyk Street, Snakepark, Grabouw.
Police spokesperson Frederick Van Wyk said in the same operation, a 36-year-old female was arrested at Rooidakke when she was found in possession of 13 mandrax tablets and 13 sachets tik.
“The abuse of illegal substances is one of the root causes of violent crimes in the area,” said Van Wyk.
He lauded members of the public for informing the police to arrest these suspects.
Weekend Argus