With 117 arrests and nearly 10 000 searches carried out, the dedicated deployment is making a difference in Bonteheuwel and surrounds.
The City of Cape Town’s Neighbourhood Safety Team (NST) in Bonteheuwel recently recorded their 100th day on the job.
The NST is the second dedicated Law Enforcement deployment to a specific area, following the launch of the pilot project in Delft in December 2017.
Officers took to the streets on 2 July 2019 – their primary task to ensure a visible policing presence in Bonteheuwel and surrounds, and to deal with by-law transgressions.
In the first 100 days, officers:
- participated in 249 joint and autonomous operations and vehicle checkpoints
- carried out 9 890 searches of individuals and properties
- made 117 arrests
- recovered two illegal firearms, five rounds of ammunition and eight dangerous weapons
- issued 547 fines
- confiscated 789 units of drugs, nearly R13 500 in cash and 111,75 litres of alcohol
Some of their enforcement highlights included:
- Two arrests for the possession of an unlicensed firearm and drugs on 20 July
- Two arrests for suspected ATM fraud at the Engen garage in Bonteheuwel on 15 August. The suspects were found in possession of multiple cards, a card swiping device and R8 600 in cash
- The impoundment of a bakkie on 27 August, when the driver was caught dumping material. He was also fined in terms of the Integrated Waste Management By-Law
- Assisting a member of the public to recover his stolen vehicle on 12 September
‘The enforcement statistics tell only part of the story. The mere presence and visibility of the team has had a far more profound impact. There is a general feeling that violent crime and particularly gang activity has decreased significantly in Bonteheuwel since the team’s arrival, and that is really the result we are after.
‘However, there is no room for complacency. I urge our officers to remain vigilant and visible, and to continue working closely with community structures and residents to keep criminal activity in check. The NST model has shown that dedicated and visible enforcement can deter crime. As the City, we will continue to train and deploy as many Law Enforcement officers as possible, but ultimately, an integrated and cohesive effort is what’s needed across spheres of government if we are to make a meaningful impact on crime levels in the Cape,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
