Edenvale police revice Spiritual Crime Prevention Desk
“The Spiritual Crime Prevention Desk is led by local religious leaders from various faiths."
The revival of Edenvale SAPS Spiritual Crime Prevention Desk was hosted at Pure Fountain Church, in Illiondale.
The crime desk was relaunched on January 31 with Edenvale Police Station’s head of Vispol, Lieutenant Colonel Lionel Chetty, and social crime prevention officers in attendance.
Edenvale Police Station’s Warrant Officer Jacob Mashile said Edenvale CPF chairlady Sheryl Damerell and religious leaders from the community were also present.
He said the community’s religious leaders openly displayed their support for the initiative of the desk that they believe is in line with the turnaround strategy of the police.
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Thirty-five community members, from churches and who work as stakeholders in the community attended the event.
“The Spiritual Crime Prevention Desk is led by local religious leaders from various faiths. Spiritual crime prevention is a community-based approach introduced in 2019,” said Mashile.
He said it aims to address prevalent crimes in communities.
“It further hopes to bring strategic stakeholders together where skills and resources are shared in crime prevention initiatives.”
The desk is built on five pillars, namely:
• Maximising the participation of faith-based organisations in crime prevention.
• Creating platforms to address moral decay in communities.
• Intensifying moral and religious education.
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• Implementing integrated and focused moral regeneration programmes that draw on the resources of all government agencies, including civil society.
• Promoting community participation and youth initiatives in crime prevention activities.
Addressing the audience Chetty praised the commitment shown by the religious community in the precinct.
He said, “The partnerships established among the various sectors in the fight against crime are commendable.
“Those partnering with the police can count on the support of police management,” said Chetty.
He said by signing the pledge everyone committed to join hands in the fight against crime and to ensure that systems are fully functional and accessible to victims of crime.
“I also want to appeal to everyone to pray for this structure as well as the successful implementation of programmes to follow”, he added.
Management of Edenvale SAPS welcomed the initiative and encouraged members of the clergy to pray for the police and their families.
