Ward councillors have raised concerns about police capacity in the Brooklyn policing precinct, citing delayed response times and a lack of visible patrols.
Ward 82 councillor Siobhan Muller said the station lacked sufficient officers to attend to crimes or enough vehicles to conduct effective patrols, adding that residents rarely saw visibility patrols in the area.
Ward 56 councillor Tiaan Dippenaar noted that while officers patrolled Hatfield frequently, their presence decreased in other parts of the ward.
Shortages linked to delayed emergency responses
Dippenaar highlighted the reduced presence to a potential shortage of vehicles or manpower following an incident at the Hillcrest substation on June 24, where vandalism caused widespread power outages.
“It took approximately an hour and 40 minutes for a police vehicle to arrive at the scene, despite the substation’s proximity to the police station,” said Dippenaar.
Rekord emailed the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department on September 10, requesting the relevant case number, which would enable the police to provide an appropriate response regarding the incident.
At the time of publication, no response had been received from the metro police.
Police confirm station operates at 91% capacity
Brooklyn SAPS acknowledged the concerns.
SAPS spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhevhulwi confirmed the station is operating at 91% of its staffing level.
Nevhevhulwi declined to provide exact numbers due to operational risks, but noted that vacant positions would be advertised according to standard recruitment processes.
“Officers are deployed to respond to complaints within the 10-minute target stipulated in the station’s service delivery plan and conduct patrols in identified hotspots,” said Nevhevhulwi.
She added that deployments to Operation Shanela do not affect day-to-day operations.
Nevhevhulwi stated that the station will continue to prioritise emergency responses, visible policing, and the investigation of serious crimes.
Crime statistics show mixed quarterly results
The concerns follow the release of first-quarter crime statistics for the 2026/27 financial year (April to June), presented on August 28 by Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia in Hatfield.
The statistics show motor vehicle and motorcycle theft decreased from 157 cases in the previous quarter to 134, while common robbery fell from 126 cases to 65, and residential burglaries dropped by seven cases.
However, vehicle robberies rose by 48%, robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 1.9%, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm rose by 10 cases, and sexual offences increased by four cases.
The Brooklyn precinct serves 28 suburbs, including Brooklyn, Hatfield, Lynnwood North, Alphen Park, Menlyn, Hazelwood, Menlo Park, Nieuw-Muckleneuk, Waterkloof, and Newlands.
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