LEAP officers confiscates more than 400 illegal firearms since its inception

The Western Cape’s Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers arrested more than 1 100 suspects for various crimes in August. This is 62 more arrests made than July.

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 (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, along with Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park.

Of the 1 160 suspects arrested, 680 were for the possession of drugs, 110 for the possession of dangerous weapons, 19 for dealing in drugs, 16 for the possession of illegal firearms (8) and zip guns (8), and 13 suspects were apprehended for the possession of imitation firearms.

PICTURE: WCGov

Officers also, between 31 July and 3 September, confiscated 16 firearms.

The firearms confiscated are:

1x Homemade firearm in Kuilsriver,

1x Revolver and 1x Firearm in Manenberg,

1x Pistol and 2x Zip Guns in Mfuleni,

1x Zip Gun and 1x Pistol in Kraaifontein,

1x Firearm in Gugulethu,

1x Riffle in Harare,

1x Revolver and 1x Pistol in Delft,

2x Zip Guns in Samora Machel

1x Pistol in Nyanga

1x Firearm in Mitchells Plain

PICTURE: WCGov

The Western Cape’s Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC, Reagen Allen, said since the inception of LEAP, officers have now confiscated 443 illegal firearms.

“We launched our LEAP officers in 2020 in an effort to tackle the drivers and causes of murders in the most violent areas across the metro. They work in extremely difficult circumstances. I thank them for never allowing the challenging task to sway them from fulfilling their duties, which amongst other is to assist us in creating safer communities in these hotspot areas.”

“As the Western Cape Government, we will continue to support our LEAP officers, as through their interventions with various stakeholders, they are ensuring that we work towards our goal which is to halve the murder rate by 2029. Collaboration and cooperation across the board will stand us in good stead if we are to achieve our goal of creating communities where our residents can live in a safe, improved and dignified manner,” added Reagen Allen, Western Cape’s Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC.

 

Done By: Esona Mfazwe