Article
Randburg SAPS Take Police Patrols To A New Level
Inspector Hein van Heerden and Inspector James Swann are nothing alike. The former is tall and lean and soft-spoken and has been a keen cyclist for 15 years while the latter is large and loud and has been a rugby player for most of his life. But what they do have in common is passion for their work as South African Police Services Sector Managers in the Randburg area.One of the largest residential regions in the country, Randburg is divided into seven Sectors by the Randburg SAPS with a Sector Manager assigned to each, to ensure better policing, customised specifically to the crime patterns for each Sector.
Van Heerden's Sector 2 (which includes Bryanston, Epsom Downs, Douglasdale Ext and Bryanston Ext 8) and Swann's Sector 3 (Kensington B, Beverly Gardens, Vandia Grove, Bryanston Ext3 and a portion of Ferndale) are adjoining and share open tracts of parkland as well as riverside bush, a haven for criminals or criminal activities. Since the pair teamed up for the first bike patrol in early August 2008, they've made numerous arrests and taken policing visibility to a new level.
"Vehicle patrols can only reach so far, which is why our mountain bike patrol has been so effective," says Van Heerden, the brain behind the project. "The biggest advantage is the element of surprise. We ride through the bush and virtually all of our arrests have been because we weren't expected!"
"Hein sits with crime stats from each area and plans our patrol routes accordingly. It's very specific and clearly effective," says Swann, a former provincial rugby forward who likes to think of himself as the brawn behind the project with a disarming sense of humour.
"I let the guys go ahead," he smiles, adding that he weighs 134kg. "I then add some physical back-up when I reach the scene where the guys may be questioning or searching suspects," he jokes. "They're like these electric trains and I'm like an old steam engine. But I'm learning how to use the gears to maintain speed and I've already lost 4 kilos."
They're not obviously a police patrol when on their bikes because they look like mountain bikers out for a cruise. Because they have such a small budget for additional projects, all the bikes and kit have been sponsored.
"We've been very fortunate with our communities who have embraced the bicycle patrol concept and made sure we have all the gear we need," explains Van Heerden. "Silverback, Rav-X and Cycle Fusion bike shop helped out with discounts on bikes and accessories, Pro-Force Security sponsored our clothing and IBO Data paid for our helmets. Two private residents, Leon Richards and Craig Warriner and the British International College donated money to pay for the bikes and accessories."
The patrols are led by Van Heerden and Swann and mainly comprise police reservists who give their free time to participate in crime fighting initiatives like this. "I must say that without the reservists that accompany us, we'd not have had nearly the success rate we've had," explains Van Heerden. "Those guys are really integral."
The patrols last for 3-5 hours and are on/off road affairs, mostly trawling the parkland and bush like sections of the Braamfontein Spruit trail that's so popular with mountain bikers. The bicycle patrol obviously has limitations and works in conjunction with vehicle patrol units that provide backup when necessary, transporting suspects to the Randburg station.
"So far, we've conducted eight patrols - usually on weekends - and have focused on hot spot areas within the Randburg SAPS precinct. In those eight patrols we arrested 38 people mostly for minor offences such as drinking in public, trespassing and being illegal immigrants. We've also made a few arrests for possession of dagga and the possession of suspected stolen property. It's not major stuff, but if you start small the ripple effect kicks in." explains Van Heerden.
The bicycle patrol crew also worked at the 94.7 Joburg Day event on 6 September 2008 and the 94.7 Cycle Challenge, assisting with specific patrols in the parking areas and focusing on the dealing of drugs, drinking in public and generally maintaining a peaceful environment.
Van Heerden says that the patrols combine his two passions, cycling and improving community safety, while Swann, who also started a weekly ‘Walk and Talk' group in his Sector, says that the initiative has helped restore some community confidence in the SAPS.
"We get to interact more with the community and are able to go to people's houses and give them personal feedback on a concern they may have raised. We encourage the residents in our sectors to constantly communicate with us and we go out of our way to make that communication two-way," says Swann.
"We have to be realistic," begins Van Heerden. "The SAPS cannot solve this country's crime problems alone. But as a community we can. Residents, businesses, security companies are all links in the chain and we need to work together to win this battle. If we start small and focused and catch the minor offenders, the effectiveness will expand."
Members of the public are welcome to join the bicycle patrols as observers.
"It's something we encourage because it helps residents in our Sectors feel like they are part of the solution. Often residents feel so helpless in the fight against crime but this allows them to become involved and to see that the SAPS really does take crime seriously, even at the lowest level. James and I are sports lovers and we both have kids. We want to help make if safe for the residents and their kids to exercise in their own suburbs. That should be a basic right, not a privilege."
For more information, or help support or sponsor the bicycle patrol pilot project, kindly email Inspector Van Heerden at info@randburgpolice.co.za