LEAP officers arrested more than 1 300 individuals in May for various offences

The Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers arrested more than 1 300 individuals for various offences, while confiscating 7 firearms, between 29 April and 2 June 2024. Of these firearms confiscated, two were imitation and five were illegal. The officers also removed 17 dangerous weapons.

COURTESY: WCGov

LEAP officers work alongside other law enforcement agencies, such as City of Cape Town, Metro Police and SAPS. Officers are deployed in crime hotspot areas in the metro, including, Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha Mitchells Plain, and Nyanga, amongst others.

Of the 1 337 arrested, 153 were for possession of drugs; 5 for the possession of illegal ammunition; 3 for malicious damage to property, and 2 for common assault.

During the same period, LEAP officers also searched 6189 persons; 345 houses; 526 vehicles, and conducted 54 roadblocks.

Western Cape Police Oversight & Community Safety MEC, Reagen Allen, urged citizens to play their part in creating safer communities.

‘’By continuing to work together, we will be able to achieve a safer society for all our residents.’’

The department previously said that since its inception, 30 873 arrests have been made to 28 April 2024. This includes the 1 077 individuals who were also arrested for various crimes between 1 and 28 April 2024, while 23 firearms were confiscated.

“In order for us to make greater strides in the fight against crime, policing has to be done differently. Not only would this entail a  new policing model that utilises evidence based policing in its deployment, which LEAP follows, but also devolution of policing powers to capable provincial governments such as ourselves. This will go a long way to restoring trust in SAPS, while it will serve as encouragement for greater collaboration between various safety stakeholders. The status quo cannot remain. Residents are encouraged to work with our LEAP officers, as this will strengthen crime fighting efforts on all fronts,” said Reagen Allen, Western Cape Police Oversight & Community Safety MEC.

 

Done By: Bush Radio News reporter