City intervenes to clamp down on Long Street crime

An increasingly intelligence-driven and focused approach to curb the crime and nuisance situation in Long Street is on the cards (see BDLive report).

The City of Cape Town's law enforcement agencies, with our partners the South African Police Services (SAPS) and the Central City Improvement District (CCID), are reviewing our crime strategies to adapt to the changing crime patterns in central Cape Town, including those observed in Long Street.

Next week, the City will be meeting with local law enforcement staff, national policing agencies, and community stakeholders to determine how we need to change the deployment of our resources according to shifts in the patterns of night-time trade and entertainment in the CBD and to ensure that we increase patrols to prevent crime in the busiest areas.

I will also be proposing a phased review of the Streets, Public Places and Prevention of Noise Nuisances By-law. This is our most valuable tool in addressing the disorder that leads to more serious crime. Vigorous enforcement of this by-law will make things difficult for offenders, including drug dealers and pimps.

The City has 92 CCTV cameras in operation in the city centre which is already a successful part of this intelligence-driven tactic. We are, however, ramping up our surveillance operations. We are investigating stronger joint deployment efforts which will be supported by our state-of-the-art CCTV surveillance. This involves employing and training analysts with the assistance of the London Metropolitan Police's CCTV experts to ensure that our cameras are used to support the national police with the crime intelligence they require to identify, arrest and prosecute criminals successfully.

The City's law enforcement agencies and our partner, the CCID, have done a great deal, within our defined mandate, to concentrate our operational efforts on Long Street. The SAPS, however, appear to be seriously under-resourced in the CBD and are not able to respond adequately to the hotspots.

The City's Metro Police, Law Enforcement and specialised units continue to carry out numerous policing interventions, mainly at night, with the support of our CCTV centre. The CCID deploys additional officers and a mobile unit at night and over weekends specifically for Long Street. This is in addition to a strong deployment per shift in this area.

The City has recently implemented its Rewards for Information Programme, which allows for members of the public to receive financial rewards for information that leads to the arrest of a suspect or confiscation of contraband. We expect that it will generate valuable information.

Long Street is a familiar tourist attraction known for its vibrant nightlife but regrettably also for its accompanying vices. Although the latest SAPS crime statistics show theft out of motor vehicles - the most prominent crime - is down in central Cape Town, the selling of drugs, however, has become more visible and brazen. This is receiving more attention from the SAPS and the Cape Town Metro Police Department. The higher statistics are proof of increased police activities, operations and arrests. A reduction in proactive policing would cause this statistic to plummet.

Higher drug-related crime statistics in Cape Town mean that the SAPS and the City's Metro Police are achieving more arrests through various operations.

We are utterly committed to creating a Safe and Caring City, with the help of our law enforcement partners as well as from the community which we serve.

Statement issued by Alderman J.P. Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, City of Cape Town, October 9 2013

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