In front, from left, are, assistant secretary John Lamont, portfolio for the elderly and vulnerable Sharon van Coller, mayoral committee member for transport FelicityPurchase, newly elected CPF chair Jonathan Mills and projectcoordinator Andre Blom. Back: treasurer Ruth Cullen, secretary Sydney Osborne, Fish Hoek Valley Ratepayers’ and Residents’ association’s Matthew Gray, Fish Hoek station commander Lieutenant Colonel Jackie Johnson, director for community safety Han-Mari Marshall, deputy chairman RiaanBester and youth and school coordinator Louise Fouche.
Jonathan Mills, chairman of the Fish Hoek Community Police Forum (CPF)
It is my great honour to be elected as the new chair of our local community police forum.
Over the next five-year term, I look forward to working with my fellow committee members, community groups and members of the public to ensure that this vital interface between the community, our local SAPS and all law enforcement agencies is used to full effect in the effort to protect our homes and loved ones.
Along with our constitutionally given right to oversee local policing, I would like to see the CPF being an active and visible champion of both community safety and community participation in preventing crime.
Our exco wants to make your concerns about crime heard and dealt with, to help those willing to get involved to be able to do so, and ultimately, to make sure we all feel the benefits of living in a safe neighbourhood.
Communities all over South Africa are entering uncharted territory as the impact of the lockdown begins to bite and policing resources get stretched even further.
Have no doubt that criminals will exploit gaps that appear and, whether it’s fair or not that the responsibility falls on the public, I believe we need to be willing to step up to fill those gaps and look out for each other’s safety and well-being.
We will be working to foster greater cooperation between our various crime prevention groups – from neighbourhood watches and armed response companies to ratepayer associations and the local subcouncil.
We will be supporting a range of specific initiatives, which include working with schools and safeguarding vulnerable
elders. We will be actively participating in operations alongside SAPS and Law Enforcement and providing them regular feedback from the community.
I ask for your support and your belief that all of us have a role to play – together we can do more.
Every effort is valuable – eyes and ears on the streets and the sharing of information are the foundations of neighbourhood safety and effective policing.
I look forward to maintaining our community’s hard-won reputation as one of South Africa’s safest places to live and work, and I hope to work with as many of you as possible over coming years.