GALLERY: Domestic Watch talks crime scene protection

Domestic Watch and SAPS customer service trainer Penny Steyn hosted the domestic workers of the Blairgowrie community at Christ Church on 24 July.

Steyn brought to the attention of the domestic workers – through a video recorded seven years ago, the importance of protecting a crime scene after a crime has been committed. Forensics expert Sietzer Alberts, then Captain of the Criminal Record Forensics Science Service, which is part of the National Crime Scene Processing Team at the Pretoria National Police Head Office, recorded the video with Steyn, and in it explained that it is important to preserve a crime scene as it aids in the investigation. .

Steyn said, “It is very important that people know what to do after a crime has happened at a crime scene. The police are extremely clever and what they need is intelligence – this is where you come in with information to help arrest the culprits who perpetrate these crimes.”

She stressed the importance of trusting the police, acknowledging that it is understandable that not all police are trustworthy, but not every police officer is of wrongful intent. She made it clear that they must not in any way place their lives in harm’s way by attempting to fight back.

The best way to fight back, if they have to, is by using their nails to scratch the culprit’s skin off his/her face. This DNA will stay under their finger nails and help identify the culprit.

In the unfortunate case of them being a victim of rape, they must not bath, and if ever they do decide to take the clothes they were wearing off, they must place them in a black plastic bag, as this will be valuable evidence.

Naomi Modise a domestic worker who was in attendance said, “We learned how crime is increasing, that we must always be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour from people we do not know, to trust the police, and never to touch a crime scene.”

Details: Domestic Watch 082 461 6968; madpenny@absamail.co.za