Citation

Buthelezi MW. Acta Criminol. 2018; 31(1): 68-79.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Criminological Society of South Africa)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

This article explores the path that has been travelled in ensuring that the relationship between the police and other partners, through implementation of sector policing has been achieved. It probes who the partners are and what their role is in ensuring the re-enforcement of partnership policing. The article focuses on two police stations in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. An intensified partnership in terms of policing will increase interaction and understanding between the partners thus eliminates any confusion on different roles to be played by partners. The article aimed at coming up with recommendations on identified gaps in partnership policing and how to better the achievements of sector policing. The article investigates if Sector Policing strategy cannot be used as a vehicle to revitalise the partnership policing concept/strategy. Partnerships in policing and most specifically in crime prevention is essential and encouraged in all sectors including political sector as a solution to crime escalation in South Africa. In political environment actors had come up with Community Safety Forums (CSFs) that are supposed to activate working relationships amongst all crime prevention players in a particular locality. In order to achieve the objectives of this article, a qualitative research design was followed. One-on-one semi-structured interviews with station commanders, sector commanders and community members (identified partners) at Paulpietersburg and Ulundi police stations in the province of KwaZulu-Natal were conducted. Research of this nature is important in that it put policing strategies in line with what is taking place in other sectors that try to minimise crime and maximising the number of roleplayers. Sector policing is intended to fight crime in a specific geographical area whilst a Community Safety Forum is aimed at doing the same thing at a particular municipality. This therefore indicates that crime prevention strategies by South African Police Service (SAPS) can be useful if implemented properly. Research of this nature is vital to SAPS as it can come up with some amendments in how sector policing can be implemented for better results.

Language: en