An additional 68 Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers have been deployed to Delft, bringing the total number of LEAP officers based in the area to 141.
PICTURE SUPPLIEDAccording to Western Cape’s Police Oversight and Community
Safety MEC, Reagen Allen, this is the biggest deployment in any single
precinct.
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, Mitchell’s Plain, amongst others. LEAP officers stem from
the Western Cape Government’s Safety Plan, which was initiated in September
2019, to address the high murder rate in the province. The Western Cape aims to
reduce the murder rate by 50% by 2029.
Throughout the 2022/23 financial year, Delft has been in
the top two precincts for murder in the province. During the first quarter,
April to June 2022, the precinct was also number one in the province. For the
second and third quarter, it was number two in the province.
Allen urged communities to wotk LEAP officers to combat
crime.
“The evidence, data and need are crystal clear, and this is
part of the reason why we are deploying additional resources to the area. These
additional men and women are extra boots on the ground. They are already
creating greater visibility and most definitely closing hiding and operational
spaces for those with criminal intent.”
“It is critical that the community of Delft assist LEAP
offices and all other law enforcement agencies, including SAPS to arrest the
escalating murders and other forms of crime in their area. Let us restore the
pride of Delft and ensure that along with all communities across our province,
it too becomes safer. The onus is on all of us if we are to overcome these
alarming crime patterns,” he added.
Done By: Esona Mfazwe
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