To pay homage to the men and women in blue the Woodstock Community Policing Forum (CPF) hosted a thanksgiving service at the Shiloh’s Sanctuary in Observatory on Thursday 26 September.
September marks Police Safety Month and is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who put their lives on the line to safeguard citizens.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu released the crime statistics for the previous year last month confirming that 39 men and women in blue died in the line of duty between 1 April last year and 31 March this year.
He added that 21 members were killed in the first quarter of 2024-’25 with 16 of those having been killed while off duty and five while on duty.
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Thursday’s service was attended by some police officials, CPF members and residents.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sean Savage, CPF chair, said men and women in blue deserve “high respect”.
“Woodstock Precinct appreciates the great job you do most of the time while not receiving the praise and thanks that is due. Our prayer is for you and your families; that God will be your Sustainer.
Over and above
Savage said partnership policing is crucial.
“The message given to the officers is that they are appreciated. They work hard and they give their all, especially in our precinct. We see the results, we are behind them and we appreciate them.”
Gary Adams, CPF public relations officer, said some officers go “over and above” the line of duty to protect and serve.
“The Woodstock police formed a wonderful bond with the community, they are part of our CPF structures. They attend meetings and listen to the grievances of the community. They are open to constructive criticism. Woodstock stands out because of the wonderful relationship that we have with our station commander and police officers.”
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Col Delven Matroos, Woodstock Police Station commander, thanked the CPF for their commitment.
“The cooperation between Woodstock police and the CPF is outstanding. The safety and the well-being of our police officials is one of our main goals and all community structures playing an excellent part in it. The initiatives that the CPF took to address factors and improve safety in the Woodstock precinct are well appreciated.”
Zanele Sabela, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) national spokesperson, said in a press statement the union endorsed the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union’s (Popcru’s) call for the country’s criminal legislation to be toughened up to ensure no criminal accused of attacking a police officer is granted bail, and those who are convicted are given hefty sentences, including life. “Our courts need to be resourced and modernised to end the perennial backlogs and delays in court proceedings that result in many cases falling through the cracks and steal away the police’s limited time.”
