Taking a look at Sector Policing!

What it means, who it involves and the aim!

Sector Policing

Sector policing became one of the internationally “borrowed” concept which was supposed to be localized or domesticated in this country and based on crime dynamics. •This is a product of a “benchmarking process” from United Kingdom (London) allegedly based on the visit by a senior member of the police to England. •Sector policing as a concept was viewed as an implementation tool of community policing philosophy which the country adopted as part of the new dispensation.

This concept is succinctly defined as “the division of areas into smaller managerial sectors and the assignment of police officers to these areas on a full time basis. These police officers regularly patrol their own sector and are able to identify problems and seek appropriate solutions. Sector policing encourages constant contact with members of local communities” South Africa (White Paper, 1998).

In its quest to implement sector policing the South African Police Service issued out a National Instruction (NI 3 of 2013) which serves as a directive for the implementation of this concept.

    • This national instruction posits that “Sector policing is a policing approach to support the implementation of the philosophy of community and partnership policing, by dividing a policing area into smaller manageable sectors to improve community interaction”.
    • Over and above the White Paper on Safety and Security (1998) and the NI 3 of 2013, a set of operational guidelines for the sector managers and sector teams (2015) were developed and published.

The Success of Sector Policing

Geographical domination and stability

  • The implementation of sector policing around 1998 until early 2000 saw high but temporary domination and stability of the areas by the police.
  • It could be that there was excitement about this policing concept or mixture of other concurrent interventions.
  • It should be noted that around that time also, there were a number of operations (operation Monozite & Crackdown) as informed then by the national crime combatting strategy with the express purpose of stabilizing certain areas.
  • These interventions took place across the sectors. •Be that as it may, temporary geographical domination and stability was realized and could partly be attributed to sector policing.

    • Enhancement of community interaction and consultation

  • The fact that sector crime forums were created, majority of people who could not play a meaningful role at the community police forum level, could partake at sector level.
  • This enhanced community interaction and consultation and resulted in the “practical manifestation of community policing”.

    • Improved police visibility and quick response

  • Sector policing was prioritized by the SAPS and more resources were allocated especially at the then Presidential police stations e.g Thabong in Free State
  • This resulted in an improved police visibility and response time precisely due to availability of vehicle/s in the sector most of time.
  • The close proximity of vehicles and members closer to the community of a specific sector led to quick response to the complaints.

    • Promotion of community police relation

  • Communities knew the sector managers and other members well.
  • More interaction took place in the streets, at sector forum meetings as well as at the CSC.
  • These interaction outside the CSC environment led to improved community relations.

    • Not part of Germiston CPF?

    Read more about the benefits of joining Germiston CPF!