The deployment of 50 Metro Police and Law Enforcement officers to the Mitchells Plain, Wynberg and Bellville CBDs looks to replicate the successful Cape Town CBD enforcement project, which is well into its second year.
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The dedicated Cape Town Central Business District deployment launched in July 2022 with 100 Law Enforcement officers to increase visible policing, support primary agencies and to ensure that by-laws are adhered to.
In their first quarter on the beat, these officers made 185 arrests, and issued thousands of fines.
In the current financial year (July 2023 – March 2024), they have received 20 087 service requests, searched 21 166 persons and 921 vehicles and issued 60 683 fines. They’ve also made 1 396 arrests, 30% of which have been drug-related, and impounded 22 vehicles.
‘We are taking what we’ve learnt with this project and trialling it, on a smaller scale, in Mitchells Plain, Wynberg and Bellville. Our CBDs are important economic hubs and transit connection points. Creating safer environments will lead to higher footfall, which in turn will boost economic activity.
‘Dedicated resources will get to know the areas and the challenges particular to each, which in turn informs our operational plans and the quality of the enforcement response. For the communities, it is an opportunity to establish relationships, and trust, with the uniformed services working in their area, and will hopefully result in an information exchange for the benefit of all,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
These dedicated deployments will happen in addition to the general Area Law Enforcement, Traffic and Metro Police deployments.
In total, there will be 26 Law Enforcement officers and 24 Metro Police officers assigned to the CBDs – 18 in Bellville, and 16 a piece in Wynberg and Mitchells Plain.
They will work from 09:00 until 16:00 daily for a two-week period, after which the deployment times will be assessed and amended according to operational needs.
Supplied by: City of Cape Town
