The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Francois Beukman, believes the challenge of striking an equilibrium between ensuring equitable allocation of police resources and scarce resources could only be realised through an efficient leadership at station level.

“Station commanders must be able to identify the resource needs of their respective precincts and communicate those to the provincial and related national command structures. There should also be an engagement with the community to determine policing needs and priorities,” said Mr Beukman.

The Chairperson of the Police Portfolio Committee was speaking today at the Social Coalition Debate on the allocation of police resources in Khayelitsha near Cape Town.

Mr Beukman said the role of the station commander should be of an active manager who is determined to bring down crime; and not a mere holder of administrative duties.

He further drew comparisons with foreign jurisdictions, where persons wanting to be appointed as a senior station commander are required to have at least 20 or 25 years of police experience and an advanced qualification in policing.

Mr Beukman said even in the South African environment, experienced and well-trained station commanders who can optimise scare resources and motivate their staff to fight crime effectively are required.

He further said that if a station commander is not able to fulfil his or her duties effectively, it becomes the duty of the provincial and national management to intervene timeously and make the necessary changes.

Communities must be able to trust the police in their respective areas. The failure by police to effectively and urgently deal with complaints and crimes reported can lead to breakdown in trust relationships between police and communities, and might lead to some sections of the community resorting to vigilantism and other crimes.

During the 2016/17 budget hearings, the Committee recommended that the country’s policing model should make provision for equity of policing services in urban, rural and deep rural areas and geographic divides. This includes a clear provision of police resources to historically disadvantaged areas. This move will make sure that there is no discrimination against areas which have disproportionally high crime rates or are economically disadvantaged.

The Committee will, during the upcoming budget hearings in the first week of May 2017, interrogate the National Police leadership about the progress made in the provision of equitable resources to rural and historically disadvantaged areas.

Mr Beukman ended his talk by saying it was vital that all South Africans are allowed to access police services on an equal basis, adding that South Africans, irrespective of their location or social standard in the country, must experience high-quality levels of police service.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Francois Beukman