Cape Town - Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen has acknowledged how challenging September and October proved to be, given the many fatal shootings across the Cape metro, but he remains optimistic.
The Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) officers made more than 1 100 arrests in October, and according to Allen, they continue to make an impact.
Between October 2 and 29, the officers arrested 1 174 individuals while also confiscating 24 firearms from across the metro.
LEAP, which stems from the Western Cape Safety Plan (WCSP), is an initiative of the Western Cape government in partnership with the City of Cape Town.
The firearms confiscated by LEAP officers included: one zip gun in Kraaifontein; two pistols in Bishop Lavis; one zip gun in Gugulethu; one firearm and one zip gun in Samora Machel; one firearm in Nyanga; one firearm in Atlantis; two pistols in Philippi East; four pistols in Delft; two pistols and two zip guns in Mfuleni; one firearm in Harare; one pistol in Grassy Park; and one pistol, one revolver and two firearms in Manenberg.
LEAP arrests included: 25 for the possession of illegal firearms, 16 for the possession of imitation firearms, 93 for the possession of dangerous weapons, 715 for the possession of drugs and 30 for dealing in drugs.
Allen said that while both September and October proved to be challenging months with worryingly high numbers of fatal shootings occurring across the Cape metro, LEAP officers still have a crucial role to play.
“The number of arrests and confiscations (made), therefore, play a critical role in reversing some of these dreadful events that occurred recently.
“We initiated LEAP as a means to combat murders in the hot spot areas, and I want to assure our residents that we will remain resolute in our efforts.
“Our aim as the Western Cape government is to halve the murder rate by 2029, and this will not change,” Allen said.
LEAP is strategically deployed, and its operations are based on evidence and data. This approach is also used as part of monitoring and evaluation to determine the effectiveness of LEAP and inform a cycle of continuous improvement.
This includes the top 10 murder areas in the Western Cape, such as Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha (Site B policing precinct), Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Philippi East, and Samora Machel.
Other high crime areas in which they are deployed are Atlantis, Bishop Lavis and Hanover Park, along with Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park.
“I urge our safety stakeholders, residents and society at large to not stop working with our LEAP officers. The more we collaborate, the greater our chance of making a dent in our crime fighting efforts. It is critical that we remain aligned, as this will ensure safer communities,” said Allen.
Cape Argus