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POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR
COMMUNITY POLICING
1. INTRODUCTION
2.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
3. DEFINITION
OF COMMUNITY POLICING
4.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNTY POLICING
5. GENERAL
PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY POLICING
6. STRATEGIES
FOR COMMUNITY POLICING
7. NATIONAL
GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNITY POLICE FORUMS AND BOARDS |
7. NATIONAL GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNITY POLICE FORUMS
AND BOARDS
| 7.1. |
All members of the SAPS are responsible
for the implementation of Community Policing. Provincial
Commissioners, Area Commissioners and Station Commissioners
are responsible for the establishment of Community Police
Forums and Boards in their respective areas. The Offices
of the Members of the Executive Councils (MECs) and the
Provincial Secretariats for Safety and Security have,
as outlined in the relevant legislation, an oversight
and monitoring function with regard to the establishment
and sustainability of the Community Police Forums and
Boards. |
| 7.2. |
In addition to the provisions contained
in legislation, the functions of and procedures at Community
Police Forums and Boards are informed, guided and supported
by the General Principles of the Community Policing. |
| 7.3. |
Community Police Forums are a means to facilitate the
partnership between the police and the community and to
engage in joint problem identification and consultative
problem solving. They should not be seen as structures
to promote personal interests or secondary objectives. |
| 7.4. |
While CPFs and Boards have no direct executive powers
over the police, these are structures that intended to
enhance consultative and participatory decision- making
with regards to the needs and priorities of the communities
served by the Police, and decisions made at the Community
Police Forums and Boards are therefore to be honored. |
| 7.5. |
Police managers should accommodate all reasonable requests
for information and for the logistical support required
to ensure the smooth functioning of the Community Police
Forums and Boards. |
| 7.6. |
Membership of and participation at the Community Police
Forums and Boards is a voluntary community service. |
| 7.7. |
Should conflict at a Community Police Forum or Board
around an issue delay or inhibit proceedings to the detriment
of dealing with other issues, the Community Police Forum
or Board should consider referring the issue to a structure
outside of, but attached to, the Community Police Forum
or Board – a special sub-committee, for instance
– for mediation and resolution. Such a structure
may involve external role players or consultants who have
the required skills. |
| 7.8. |
All issues that cannot be resolved at Community police
Forum level should be referred to the Area Commissioner
and the Area Community Police Board, and if such an issue
cannot be resolved at that level, it should be referred
to the Provincial Commissioner and Provincial Community
Board. The Area Commissioner or Area Board has the responsibility
of ensuring relevant feedback to those who have referred
the issue. |
| 7.9. |
All Community Police Forums and Boards should have a
written constitution to deal with issues such as representation
of the community at the Community Police Forum Board,
a code of conduct, conflict resolution mechanisms and
the general organization and administration of the Community
Police Forum or Board. |
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