According to a 2016 Stats SA Victims of Crime survey, the most feared type of crime is house robbery.
Stuart Clarkson, Managing Executive of Fidelity ADT agrees, saying that as many as 50 per cent of householders have taken physical measures to protect their homes and 11 per cent of households employ private security services. In 2018, that category of crime remains unchanged.
“With an estimated 490 000 active private security officers in South Africa working in armed response, cash-in-transit and guarding, South African citizens are spending approximately R45 billion a year on private security, making South Africa’s private security industry the fourth largest in the world per capita,” Clarkson said.
He added that crime statistics remain at unacceptable levels and that the private security industry plays a pivotal role in supporting the police.
Clarkson continued, “The nature of violent crime has necessitated a significant investment in resources to protect officers who place their lives in danger almost every day. Fidelity ADT has invested over R20 million over the last two years in bullet-resistant vehicle armour for its fleet of vehicles and bullet-resistant Kevlar uniforms for its Reaction and Security Officers.”
Also Read: Impact of house robberies on victims, families
He said the company also makes use of in-vehicle camera systems which record all activities inside and in front of the vehicle. This helps during criminal investigations and accidents to ensure the company has as much information available as possible to assist the police and is also used as part of the company’s ongoing training of officers.
“Over the years, as technology has improved and the nature of crime has changed, it has become important for the private security industry to evolve in order to adequately protect its officers. Today Kevlar jackets and ballistic plating for our officers’ uniforms, and reinforced armour in our vehicles with the addition of Kevlar door inlays and ballistic glass is a non-negotiable,” concluded Clarkson.
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