The article ‘Gang violence, shootings continue despite ShotSpotter’ (Cape Argus, February 8, 2023) refers:
It is disappointing, but not entirely unexpected to see the blatant untruths that have been included in the article.
The chairperson of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) makes many broad assertions and allegations, none of which appear to have been fact-checked.
First the cost of ShotSpotter – it is nowhere near the R110 million claimed, but rather R10m a year over three years covering a 9km² area, which equates to R30m in total.
It’s also worth noting that the figures have previously been shared with the publication, so the continued inaccuracy boggles the mind.
It is understood that the respective CPFs will form opinions based on their impressions. However, the City’s comments are directed by facts and data as shown by the various technologies being employed. The data clearly shows that there are fewer shooting incidents this month than before. This is in part due to the swift response.
The City also uses the statistics and crime intelligence from the system to analyse timeframes and patterns of shootings in order to deploy enforcement agencies to a specific area to execute searches.
The City is not claiming and has not claimed that there are no shooting incidents. That will be achieved only when the criminal justice system, under the control of the national government, ceases to fail the residents of Hanover Park, Manenberg and other suburbs by convicting those responsible for the shootings and gang murders.
The idea that any single technology or policing intervention will single-handedly solve a deep-rooted crime problem or stop all violence is also deeply flawed. Gunfire detection is just one more tool among several to reduce crime. If they all work together, we can improve the safety and quality of life of communities.
The City’s policing interventions are deployed as directed by crime statistics supplied by the SAPS, and with their guidance.
It also needs to be said that the Safety & Security Directorate is afforded a budget to improve safety and policing outcomes. Other departments receive budget to fulfil their responsibilities in relation to job creation, poverty alleviation and so on. One should therefore enquire what projects and interventions they are driving.
It boggles the mind that an entity like a community police forum would publicly oppose the attempts by a responsive local government to bring the best available technology to bear on helping them. They should be celebrating it. It is hard to understand what would drive such behaviour, but one cannot help but suspect the triumph of a political narrative over common sense.
* City of Cape Town Safety and Security Mayco Member JP Smith.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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