Compiled by the Department of Public Safety, Security and Liaison in the Free State Province

What is Community Policing?

Community Policing is a policy and strategy aimed at achieving more effective crime control, reduce fears of crime, improved quality of life, improved police service and police legitimacy, through a proactive reliance on community resources that seeks to change crime causing conditions. It allows the police and the community to work closely together to solve problems of crime, fear of crime, physical and social disorder and neighbourhood decay.

In short: Community Policing it is a partnership between the police and the Community to solve safety problems.

What are the objectives of Community Policing?

• Establishing a partnership between police and the communities they serve to ensure effective protection of communities and a better quality of life.

• Ensuring that the police address the primary needs of the community and are accountable to them.

• Enhancing the quality of information available to the police resulting in the development of a proactive and problem-solving approach to crime and violence.

• Providing communities with a visible accessible policing presence to enhance public confidence in the police and to deter criminals.

• Aligning the values of the police organisation with those of the new democratic South African, aiming at producing police officers who can interact sensitively with their communities and in a manner that respects local norms and values.

What is a Community Policing Forum?

A Community Police Forum (CPF) means a forum established in terms of section 19(1) of the S.A.P. S. Act, Act 68 of 1995. A CPF is a group of people from different communities and police representatives who meet to discuss safety problems in their communities. A CPF also aims at ensuring police accountability, transparency and effectiveness in the community.

Where will CPFs be established?

At each and every police station in the province.

Who should be consulted and represented in establishing a CPF?

Our country’s Constitution clearly stipulates that in order to establish a CPF a Station Commissioner shall, after consultation with the mayor or his/ her representative of the local Municipality:

• identify community based organisations and interested individuals from the community including representatives of all the groupings within the community, i.e. religions groups, youth groups political groups, sports clubs, schools and taxi associations. People who are not part of any group or organisation also have a right to be included.

It is also important that the police are well represented i.e. Head of Detective Unit, child unit, etc. The Station Commissioner should always be available at CPF meetings.

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