Florida Police were hard at work throughout the festive season, holding a torrent of operations to keep the pressure on criminal elements.
In the 17 days between and including December 20 and January 5, Florida Police and their various supporting authorities held a total of 11 operations. Focusing on drug and crime hot spots while using gathered intelligence to follow through with obtained warrants, police were able to secure the arrest of 31 suspects through these operations.
The two busiest days of the festive season operations were Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. On Boxing Day, police arrested eight suspects for crimes ranging from assault and theft, to possession of drugs and the contravention of a court order. One of these suspects was wanted for three separate charges, including shoplifting and possession of drugs. The New Year’s Eve operations were split into a morning and evening shift, yielding seven arrests in total, four of which were for the possession of drugs.
The following day police focused their attentions on revealers enjoying the first day of the year at Florida Lake. As well as reuniting five lost children with their parents, authorities searched almost 170 people and roughly 70 cars, resulting in the arrest of one man for the possession of drugs. “No serious incidents were reported at the lake. It was fully packed, manageable with JMPD and police visibility that brought a huge impact that was appreciated by the community,” said Florida Police station commander, Colonel Amos Tsotetsi.
Illegal mining did not go unpoliced during the festive season with two dedicated raids on December 22 and 29. In total, 15 phendukas, four generators, six motors, six stampers and 13 garden tools were confiscated from the Rugby Club informal settlement. Roadblocks also contributed to increased police visibility, with authorities searching almost 120 vehicles and 270 people along routes across the Florida policing precinct.
Colonel Tsotetsi wished to thank JMPD, PRASA Protection Services, Florida CPF, West Rand K9 unit, Department of Mineral Resources, police members and the various private security companies for their time, dedication and sacrifice throughout the festive season.
