No more metro police – Tshwane metro

The Tshwane metro will not increase the number of officers, it has said, Rekord Centurion reports.

Community safety and emergency services MMC Karen Meyer said “we’re not going that route” when a resident asked her about the possibility of deploying officers to guard the reservoir in Wonderboom at a meeting at the Montana NG church.

“We are moving towards new technology,” she said.

A reason Meyer attributed the decision not to increase the existing number of the 4 000 officers was that it took two years to train them.

Meyer said the officers worked in shifts and some on admin work.

Despite the “struggle”, she commended the officers for being able to execute on average 20 drug busts monthly.

Earlier mayor Stevens Mokgalapa had acknowledged that there were not enough officers in the metro “considering the geographic area of Tshwane”.

But to address residents’ frustration about security at the reservoir, he said the metro would use technology and guards to protect the reservoir and other infrastructure.

He said the metro would instal cameras and was “looking at” employing 1 500 guards for the task.

Earlier this year the metro showed a preference for technology with the launch of the Tshwane crime app.

Mokgalapa had said the mobile app provided the public a platform to report crime and corruption anonymously and without risking their lives.

“The app allows citizens to anonymously report crime, corruption, traffic and by-law infringements to the metro police right in the palm of your hand,” he said adding that the tip off was received by the metro police instantaneously.

He said other services aimed at improving community safety were also available on the app.

He said app users could search for the nearest emergency service, provide the emergency response team their accurate location and offer the metro feedback via surveys and questionnaires.

The app – Tshwane Safety – is available for download on Play Store.