Western Cape LEAP officers arrested over 500 suspects

Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers removed 36 illegal firearms, from the streets in their deployed areas.  Western Cape officers also arrested 559 for various crimes, 24 found in possession of an illegal firearm, 32 for the possession of illegal ammunition, 17 for the possession of an imitation firearm, 307 for the possession of drugs and 72 for the possession of dangerous weapons.

Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen said officers were deployed in hotspot areas where there was a need to turn around negative crime statistics. The areas included the top 10 murder areas in the province: Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha (Site B policing precinct), Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Philippi East, and Samora Machel.

Other high crime areas in which they are deployed are Atlantis, Bishop Lavis and Hanover Park, and recently Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park.

Allen said that in the first quarter (April – June 2022) crime statistics showed an 11.5% increase in murder, compared to the same period in the 2021/22 financial year, there was an 8,2% reduction in the murder rate during the same period at stations where the LEAP officers are currently deployed. 

Between 3 - 23 October 2022, LEAP officers, searched 25 494 persons, searched 895 houses, Conducted 4 356 patrols in hotspot areas, Conducted 329 roadblocks, searched 3 073 vehicles

LEAP officers also conducted 566 integrated operations with other City of Cape Town Law Enforcement Agencies and SAPS.

“I commend these LEAP officers for their continued effort and commitment. We should not lose sight of the fact that we have a long way to go, and therefore, I urge communities to work with and support all law enforcement agencies, including LEAP, other City of Cape Town law enforcement entities and SAPS,” said  Allen.