- Continuous community engagements by the Athlone Community Policing Forum (CPF) are essential to combat crime in the area.
- Recent meetings with residents and police have addressed concerns such as shootings, drugs, and property harassment.
- The CPF emphasises the importance of community involvement and partnerships with police to enhance safety.
Continuous community engagements are pivotal to combating crime in the Athlone policing precinct.
This is the sentiment of the Athlone Community Policing Forum (CPF), which hosts continuous imbizos with the community.
At a recent engagement, on Thursday 13 June, at the Athlone Minor Hall with residents of Kewtown, Athlone police and local Ward 49 councillor officials aimed to address the concerns of the community.
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This was followed by a community patrol in the area on Saturday 15 June, calling on residents to take a stand to take back their streets.
Sharon Claasen, CPF chair, says community engagement is vital to identify the policing needs, safety concerns and social needs within a community.
“The main concerns raised at this meeting were the recent shootings and drugs,” she says.
“Illegal occupation of property, and of late, the number of attempted hijackings/smash and grabs at the intersection of Klipfontein and Belgravia Roads,” Claasen continues.
“The City recently embarked on upgrading the municipal flats. The contractors also asked the police for assistance because of harassment, intimidation and threats.”
This is a continuous initiative with engagements across the precinct, she says.
Partnerships
Tasneen Samsodien, CPF treasurer, says this is also about partnerships.
“One of the main reasons for the CPF hosting imbizo’s is to help build a partnership between the communities and police. We have found that by hosting these imbizos, it helps to bridge the gap between the communities and police. These imbizos give the communities a platform to voice their concerns directly with police and any other stakeholders that may be present. It is vitally important that communities attend and participate in these imbizos,” she says.
Claasen says residents can play an active role in eradicating crime.
“We want to encourage every member of the public to get involved in the neighbourhood watch or civic organisations in their area. We all have value to add to our local areas.
“Let’s work together, to make our communities a safer place to live work and play in,” she says.
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Samsodien continues that actively patrolling helps make communities safer.
“In this way, communities get to partner and work with police,” she says.
Simply reporting crimes is also important.
“All crimes, even if it is deemed as petty crime, must be reported at the police station. This is to ensure that accurate stats are available so police can better plan policing needs, identify crime trends and hotspots,” she says.
