Cape Town - Sixty-four peace and traffic officers will today begin their deployment in the Cape Winelands district working to assist local law enforcement and police in Worcester, Robertson, and Ceres.
The 64 newly sworn-in officers will be deployed on a one-year Extended Public Works Programme placement within their local municipalities.
Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz said that the deployment of the officers was part of the Western Cape Safety Plan.
Fritz said: “The implementation of our community safety plan in rural communities and district municipalities has been made possible through the implementation of the district and local municipalities’ safety plans. These were developed in partnership with the Department of Community Safety, local and district municipalities.
“Our graduates will not work in silos. The training and deployment of our peace and traffic officers will increase the capacity of trainee law enforcement staff in vulnerable and rural local municipalities.
“They will be deployed under the supervision of the head of law enforcement in the municipality and contribute to the reduction of crime locally. What’s more, the municipality’s law enforcement works closely with police in the rural communities they are deployed to.”
Meanwhile, in the metro, police arrested several suspects for the illegal possession of firearms and live ammunition.
The first arrest was in Leyden, Delft, where police on patrol were approached by a woman who had been stabbed by a man.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said: “Police were on patrol at about 2am yesterday morning when they were approached by a woman, complaining that a man had just stabbed her.
“Immediately officers attended to the complaint and when they were closer to the suspect, the complainant identified him. The suspect, a 22-year-old man, was found in possession of a 9mm Norinco Pistol with seven rounds.”
In a separate incident, the police arrested a Kraaifontein taxi owner who was found in possession of a 9mm pistol with 14 rounds.
“Police were conducting a special operation to address extortion in Delft, and while doing stop and searches they pulled over a Datsun vehicle. The suspect was inside with his girlfriend, and on further inspection, police discovered a 9mm pistol with 14 rounds.
“It was alleged he was escaping an imminent threat from other taxi organisations. Both suspects will appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on charges of the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition,” said Van Wyk.
Cape Argus