Enhanced policing yields results in Hatfield

There has been a “significant” drop in crime in the Hatfield area, thanks to new innovations such as a metro police bicycle unit, a new satellite station and more CCTV coverage.

This was according to Hatfield City Improvement District (CID) CEO Lucas Luckhoff.

The metro police satellite station in the area is a result of a partnership between the Tshwane municipality and the CID.

Luckhoff said despite the lockdown, the CID had been busy with drug arrests, business robberies, scams and street robberies.

He said street robberies and theft out of motor vehicles were the most common crimes since the easing of hard lockdown.

Equally significant was the hard work and dedication of the CID’s cleaning team, which “promoted urban renewal”.

Throughout 2020, they could remove graffiti and illegal advertising in the area.

Luckhoff said their partnership with the metro helped identify new and innovative ways to make the area surrounding the University of Pretoria “safer and more secure for all”.

“This partnership serves as a model for how it can be done.”

Community safety MMC Karen Meyer said the Hatfield CID showed how such partnerships can help in enhancing community safety and fighting lawlessness in the city.

“The on-going partnership continues to yield positive results,” said Meyer.

The satellite station was launched in 2019 after the Hatfield CID approached the metro to expand the TMPD’s work in fighting crime and enforcing by-laws and traffic laws in the area.

“We want to combat urban decay and foster a clean, safe and economically prosperous environment for residents, businesses and students.”

Meyer said although the lockdown had an effect on crime levels in Hatfield, particularly as the university continued to predominantly conduct classes remotely, the collaboration between the CID and TMPD was nonetheless significant in preventing crime through visible policing.

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