Sandringham CPF chief Loraine Buzo takes command to protect community
Tired of complaints on local WhatsApp groups, Sandringham CPF Chief Commander Loraine Buzo stepped up, turning frustration into action for safer streets.
When crime became more than a conversation on community WhatsApp groups, Loraine Buzo decided to stop complaining and start acting.
For Buzo, becoming involved in community policing started with something many residents know too well – fear on the streets.
Read more: CPF asks community to report crimes as they happen
She saw women worrying about walking to work in the early hours, crime affecting people in her neighbourhood and residents expressing their frustrations on WhatsApp groups.
Eventually, Buzo decided that talking about the problems was not enough. “I was tired of complaining on WhatsApp groups. I said, if we wait for someone else to fix our neighbourhood, no one will,” she said.
That decision led her into community policing and eventually to her role as chief commander of the Sandringham Sector 1 Community Policing Forum (CPF), which serves parts of Sandringham, Bramley View, Lyndhurst and the Organic Market.
According to Buzo, being the Sandringham Sector 1 CPF chief commander is more than having a title – it is a responsibility.
“It means the communities we serve trust me with their safety. It means when a mother calls at 22:00 because her child is missing, I must act. Personally, it taught me that leadership is not about rank; it is about being available whether or not you are appreciated – just be available.”
As a woman in community safety, Buzo has had to prove herself in an environment where she says some still believe policing and security are a man’s job.
Also read: Bramley and Organic Market residents demand promised police presence
She recalled encountering men who question her involvement or see her as being forward or nosey.
“You have to speak twice and loud to be heard in some meetings. But that has also shaped me to be firm, prepared, and to always know my facts. Now I don’t shout; I bring my book, my numbers, and my reports. When you are prepared, no one can silence you or break you.”
For residents, CPF members may be most visible when they patrol alongside SAPS. But Buzo says that is only one small part of the job.
“Behind those visible patrols are midnight calls, reports, meetings and countless follow-ups. We are volunteers. We use our own airtime, our own cars, and our own time away from family. We do it because we love this community.”
Follow us on our WhatsApp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
