Lentegeur Community Police Forum (CPF) chairman Byron de Villiers, secretary Shakir Fortune, Lentegeur police station commander Colonel Umavathie Rameshwarnath, Captain Sean Paul Collin Whiteman and spokesman Constable Navon van Houten.
Lentegeur police took to the streets on Friday February 23 in a campaign to create awareness about crime and build trust with the community.
Lentegeur police station commander Colonel Umavathie Rameshwarnath said: “We are here to show the community, the neighbourhood watch, the community police forum sub-forums and the residents that we are here.”
She participated in a walkabout, vehicle control point (VCP) and drive through the precinct, specifically The Farm, Montrose Park and Mandalay. Alongside them was Lentegeur community police forum (CPF) and neighbourhood watch members.
“We want to strengthen partnerships, create awareness and restore faith, with the support of SAPS and the CPF to share challenges and support the neighbourhood structures,” said Colonel Rameshwarnath.
CPF chairman Byron de Villiers said they wanted residents to join the safety structures, CPF sub-forums, neighbourhood watch, block watches and street committees to be the eyes and ears of the community.
“If you see something, report it. Don’t just be WhatsApp warriors. Contact the police and report crime so they know where the hotspots are so they can deploy officers,” he said.
Mr De Villiers said they would like to host monthly sessions to maintain partnerships, to gain the community’s trust and to receive information.
“There may be this perception that the station is corrupt but we want to show that there are officers who want to do their duty with passion and want to make a difference in our community.
“We want to encourage the community to share information and know that it will be handled sensitively; and as a CPF we want to ensure that something is done with that information and it is dealt with in a proper manner,” he said.
Mr De Villiers also called on other safety structures and partners, including all spheres of government, metro police, law enforcement and the department of justice to educate the community to follow the flow of information when they report a crime.
Police station spokesman Constable Navon van Houten said the evening was successful with more than 500 information pamphlets about carjackings, house breakings, extortion and gender-based violence distributed.
A Mandalay community leader, Shakes Mahlaba, said they were grateful for the visibility.