Amanzimtoti CPF wins third award this year
The Amanzimtoti Community Police Forum has been recognised as CPF of the year for their hard work and relentless efforts to uphold the law.
THE Amanzimtoti Community Police Forum (ACPF) won CPF of the Year in KwaZulu-Natal, in a ceremony that recognised its community partnerships and effective crime prevention initiatives.
The SAPS KZN Provincial Excellence Awards Ceremony was held at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre in Durban on November 1, and was attended by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Thamsanqa Ntuli.
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This was the third win in a row for the ACPF after they received the CPF of the Year Award at both the KZN Provincial Visible Policing Excellence Awards Ceremony held on September 27, and the SAPS eThekwini District Excellence Awards Ceremony on September 6. ACPF chairperson, Merlene Matthew, was recognised as CPF member of the year and received certificates of commendation at each awards ceremony.
Deputy chairperson, Gary Kelly, said they had made significant progress in strengthening the relationships between the community, police and various security companies.
“This is evidenced by the establishment of eight CPF sub-forums, five neighbourhood watch groups as well as the CPF social crime forum, SAPS Spiritual Network and SAPS Youth Crime Prevention Desk who all play a role in the success of the ACPF. Under the leadership of Merlene, the executive committee has established new standards for communication and collaboration within our area of responsibility. We are enthusiastic about the potential for even greater opportunities ahead and are confident that our efforts will set a benchmark for similar organisations across the country,” he said.
Reflecting on the award and the hard work, often behind the scenes and hidden from the public eye, Matthew said she believed the ACPF had been successful because they were humble, respectful, and knew the rule of law took precedence at all times.
“We don’t criticise our law enforcement publicly, but rather deal with issues constructively and privately, striving to find solutions together. We collaborate and work with everyone that can add value to our community and are willing to work within the mandated safety structures. We promote social cohesion and strive to create a united town that sees our diversity as an asset,” she said.
Matthew also said they understood that each area was unique and required different approaches to addressing crime, therefore they strived to implement grassroots problem identification and problem solving.
“It is an honour to serve the community of Amanzimtoti together with dedicated departments, organisations, businesses and individuals,” she said.
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