Greetings everyone and I hope that you are all keeping safe out there.
There are still some residents in our area that do not know the telephone numbers for the Norwood SAPS vehicles that are assigned to their suburbs or Sectors. They are all detailed on our website – www.ncpf.co.za – I have also attached a document to the weekly email that has the numbers. Save the numbers in your phone, print them and display it on your fridge, office space or in your home. This number is there for all the residents to call in order to report issues that you would like the Norwood SAPS vehicle to come and deal with. If it is an emergency I would still advise you dial 10 111 first before calling the cell phone number provided.
We have gotten feedback from this system and most of it is good however there are some issues that are being dealt with. If you do experience good or bad service at the Norwood SAPS (including this new cell phone system) please do get hold of us and let us know. The more we can assist the SAPS with feedback the better.
Illegal building & land-usage
Illegal building came up this last week in a few forums that I am involved in. Illegal building takes many forms and it is extremely prevalent in our suburbs. The majority of alterations and additions that have been done in our area appear to be illegal. For to long homeowners have gotten away with illegal land use and building.
Within six months from last week we hope to have an active forum that will deal with this scourge to our area. Enforcement of by-laws by the City is still and issue and will be till this forum is up and running effectively. I would like to encourage all home owners to do the right thing and get their plans approved prior to building. Illegal building is exactly that – illegal. Bribing officials and using a ‘friend’ to get plans approved is just increasing the levels of corruption in our beautiful country.
Crime report & tip-offs 1 – 7 November 2010
House break-ins are still our biggest issue in the area. Criminals in this game tend to target houses with minimal security. Always ensure that gates are locked and windows closed if you leave your house unattended for long periods of time. If you see suspicious persons call the cell phone for your sector or your security company to come and have a look. If you suspect that criminal activities are taking place in your area you must let us know about it and we shall encourage action with this information.
Please do not think that because your house, with the guards and electric fending is immune, you can still fall victim to crime. Always ensure that you are aware of your surroundings when entering or exiting your premises. Mornings and evenings are prime time for driveway robberies.
Drug related crimes –
There is news of drug dealing occurring on Louis Botha Ave. We need information of the street corners and the times that this is occurring. Please also remember that dealers do not keep the drugs with them, the stash it elsewhere or use other means. The police must rely on intelligence to catch them in the act & confiscate it.
Noise & disturbance of the peace –
The SAPS are the force that will deal with noise and disturbances of the peace. When a complaint comes in about this there is a four step process:
1 – Complaint is addressed and a warning is given to the offending persons.
The SAPS members will document this warning in their pocket books and the resident/owner/proprietor must sign
2 – Second time round the person committing the offence will be issued with a fine of R 1,500 for non-compliance with the warning.
3 – If the SAPS are called out a third time they are then empowered to confiscate the offensive equipment/sources and this will be taken to the station. This will be documented at the station and the offender will have to go through the procedures to get their equipment back.
Changes are good
You will notice that the format of the weekly report has changed. This is due to the fact that I have been requested to be more circumspect with the figures that I pass on to the community. I will endeavour to ensure that important information is passed on but as from today I shall be unable to give you numbers on the crimes being committed. If you would like to know these statistics then I encourage you to attend the monthly CPF meetings that we hold at the Norwood Police Station.
Christmas Cheer & Fear
The Christmas period is a busy period for the Norwood SAPS. The Provincial Commissioner, in light of this, has canceled all leave over this period. The police service is going to be in full force protecting our suburbs while we are all on holiday. The new PC is showing all that he is dedicated to the commitment that he has made to us in Gauteng.
We will be looking to put up some Christmas tips & hints by the beginning of December. Keep visiting the website and encourage your friends to sign up as well!
Reminder:
24 November 2010 – Norwood CPF Public Meeting
18:00 at the Norwood SAPS Station
Thanks and have a great week. Please remember to look out for one another, we are a community and as such we must look after our space. It is our home!
Yours,
Duncan Barker
Norwood Community Police Forum
078 014 2387
www.ncpf.co.za
Fax – 086 638 4230
