The entire executive committee of the Simon’s Town Community Police Forum (CPF) has resigned because their persistent plea for greater resources and staffing has been disregarded.
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As reported by IOL, the CPF members allege that their request for additional staff members was ignored by the SAPS provincial and national management, making it “impossible for them to perform their duties”.
Former Simon’s Town CPF chairperson, Eileen Heywood, announced in a formal statement that they were left with no choice but to resign. The group was heavily short-staffed and unable to fulfil its mandate with the resources at hand.
Heywood said, “This, because of staffing limitations experienced by the public, where the SAPS have only two members on duty in the evening and the national requirement is a minimum of two officers in a vehicle, which would leave the station empty and unattended, which is also not allowed.”
“The frustrations being announced by both the CPF and the public, especially during night times when policing services are required for serious incidents, are as a direct result of insufficient staffing to meet the minimal requirements for a station like Simon’s Town SAPS.”
“Given the current increase in crimes, especially due to load shedding, we need these resources more than ever.”
Heywood added, “Our mandate is to ensure that police meet our community policing needs. The status quo has become untenable. We cannot, as the CPF in good conscience, continue to accept this, hence our resignation.”
The executive member of the CPF Southern Cluster, Jonathan Mills, said that it’s a cause for concern when an entire team resigns, as “CPFs are a necessary part of community policing in South Africa.”
“When an entire CPF made up of committed, experienced community volunteers resign all at once because they believe their local police service is not working properly, and the system in place to address those failures isn’t working either, then we as fellow CPF members and even as private citizens should be looking at it very closely.”
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, said that the National Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, has requested that the CPF’s concerns be made a priority and addressed with urgency.
“He has directed the Divisional Commissioner of Visible Policing to look urgently into the matter to address the concerns raised by the structure to address the challenges,” Mathe added in conclusion.
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Picture: Simon’s Town Community Police Forum / Facebook