PURPOSE OF THE CPF

The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Community Safety & Liaison has a Community Policing Directorate within the Community Liaison Chief Directorate which deals with overseeing the establishment, functioning and capacity of Community Policing Forums (CPF).

Community Policing is a philosophy aimed at achieving more effective crime control; reduce fears of crime, improved police services through proactive partnerships and programs with communities. In short, Community Policing is a partnership between the police and the Community to solve safety problems.

The SAPS Act 68 of 1995, legislated Community Police Forums (CPF) as the only recognised consultative forum designed to permit communities to make their policing concerns known to the police.

HOW CAN COMMUNITY POLICING BE ACHIEVED?

In order for Community Policing to be achievable, South Africa has in its Constitution Act 108 of 1996 entrenched the establishment of Community Police Forums (CPFs). This has been further supported by the South African Police Services (SAPS) Act 68 of 1995 that mandates all station commissioners to establish these forums at station level.

The KZN Provincial government has in its Department of Community Safety and Liaison established the Community Policing Directorate that looks directly at community policing issues.

FUNCTIONS OF THE CPF

The powers and functions of a CPF in the constitution include:

Promoting accountability of the local police to your community and co-operation of your community with the local police.
Monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of the police serving you.
Examine and advise on local policing priorities.
Evaluate the provision of services such as the distribution of resources.
The way complaints and charges are handled.
Patrolling of residential and business areas.
Keeping records, writing reports and making recommendations to the Station Commissioners, Provincial Commissioner and the MEC.
The CPF will ask questions about local policing matters and request enquiries when necessary.

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY POLICING FORUM?

A Community Policing Forum is a platform where community members, organizations (CBO’s, NGO’s, Business, FBO’s, youth organizations, women organizations, SGB’s), other relevant stakeholders (provincial government, local government, traditional authority and parastatals) and the police meet to discuss local crime prevention initiatives.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF THE COMMUNITY POLICING DIRECTORATE?

The Community Policing Directorate implements the following activities:

Verification of the community police forums at all police stations in the province.
Evaluation of the proper functioning of the structures.
Provide capacity-building programs to support CPF’s by performing their duties efficiently and effectively.
Provide technical and other resources to improve the structure’s functionality
Facilitate mediation in community conflicts. The Directorate would like to inculcate the use of negotiation as an alternative to violence in resolving conflict.