Africa-Press – South-Africa. Cape Town – Following concerns raised last month by the Bishop Lavis Community Police Forum on the police stations’ poor service delivery, Nicro (SA National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders) has responded by facilitating workshops with police officials from the two stations.
The workshops are focusing on service rendering and improving service delivery.
Last month the CPF, in dismay over the services received by the residents, strongly criticised the Bishop Lavis police station and the Bonteheuwel community service centre.
It said there were constant complaints from residents allegedly being told they cannot open cases if they didn’t know the perpetrators, while residents were made to wait for more than an hour when shifts changed and had to endure rude police officers.
The CPF said there had also been complaints of people being sent from Bonteheuwel satellite station to Bishop Lavis police station, with the closure of cases rendered as undetected without any investigation.
Nicro social worker Dori-Anne Erasmus said their objective was for the police officials to be able to provide efficient and reliable services to the communities.
“We want them to be committed in their approach to fighting crime, have empathy and provide a victim-offender friendly service that will perpetuate reduced levels of crime while promoting and providing a service without bias, prejudice, and discrimination.”
She said as an organisation committed to creating safer communities they wanted to strengthen police officials and help improve their overall performance when on duty.
Erasmus said their target group was the crime service unit and the detectives with sessions focusing on education on GBV and domestic violence as well as victimisation and the importance of service delivery.
“We would like to ensure our police are equipped to deal with issues like GBV. Essentially, encourage victims to reach out and report matters without being victimised.
“Effective service delivery is crucial and integral to the justice system. Effective service delivery contributes to reduced levels of crime and transparent relationships between the police and the community,” she said
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk encouraged residents of the precinct to report inappropriate behaviour or unsatisfactory service delivery to Bishop Lavis police management. He said Bishop Lavis management expected members to deliver service of a high standard.
Cape Argus
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