Sector Policing:
A New Approach to Community Policing

by

Gareth Newham

Report of the SAPS Area Johannesburg Community Policing Board Workshop, 12 April 2003.

Gareth Newham is a former Project Manager in the Criminal Justice Programme at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.

Contents 1. Introduction 2. Plenary Presentations    2.1 The Vision for Policing Johannesburg    2.2 The SAPS Sector Policing Approach    2.3 Strengthening Community Policing Forums 3. Small Group Deliberations    3.1 The Potential Benefits of Sector Policing    3.2 The Current Challenges Facing Sector Policing    3.3 Practical Initiatives for Sector Policing    3.4 General Discussion Issues 4. Conclusion

1. Introduction

The key objective of this workshop was to work towards creating synergy between the vision of the South African Police Services (SAPS) Johannesburg Area Commissioner and the initiatives of the Johannesburg Area Community Policing Forums (CPFs).

Given the significant differences between the various CPFs in the Johannesburg policing area in relation to their sizes, operations and socio-economic contexts, it was decided to focus discussions around a specific SAPS strategy that has direct consequences for community policing everywhere, namely 'sector policing'. Towards this end workshop was convened in order to focus on the concept, design and practice of sector policing. In particular, the workshop was intended to address the role of Community Policing Forums in the practice and implementation of sector policing, assess the potential benefits as well as examine the challenges facing sector policing. The workshop was also intended to serve as a platform for sharing ideas and information with regards to 'good' practice in the different precincts that are constituent of the Johannesburg Community Policing Forum Area Board.

The aim of this report is to provide SAPS commanders and CPF representatives with a document that captures most of the issues raised at the workshop. This document can then be used to ensure that other police commanders, CPF and Sector Community Forums (SCF) participants can be brought up to date with the strategy of sector policing and how it can be implemented. Furthermore, police commanders, CPF and SCF participants can use this document to identify key benefits, prioritise specific challenges to be overcome and obtain ideas on practical initiatives that can be undertaken to improve relationships between communities and the police.

Approximately 50, participants partook in the workshop representing all the CPF chairpersons and police station commissioners from the SAPS Area Johannesburg. Also attending were senior commanders from the SAPS Area Johannesburg office. The workshop was organised by the Chairperson Lionel Steyn and Deputy Chairperson Deidre Penfold of the Johannesburg Community Policing Forum Area Board. Senior officers gave presentations including the SAPS Area Johannesburg Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Oswald Reddy, Deputy Commissioners, Director Alan Billings and Director Petrus Ramatsoele. The workshop was chaired and facilitated by staff from the Criminal Justice Programme of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) including Gareth Newham (Project Manager), Ebrahim Fakir (Senior Researcher), Themba Masuku (Senior Researcher), Kindiza Ngubeni (Community Facilitator) and Lulama Gomomo (Researcher).

The process of the workshop was designed to provide structured information and then to allow for facilitated discussion, information sharing and brainstorming amongst participants. The workshop began with a presentation by the Johannesburg Area Commissioner O. Reddy on his vision for policing Johannesburg. It was emphasised that both CPFs and sector policing sector are important aspects of that vision. This was followed by an input from Director A. Billings who explained sector policing as a concept and how it could be implemented. Subsequently, Mr. Lionel Steyn gave a presentation on examples of practical initiatives that CPFs could undertake to promote sector policing. Finally, Director P. Ramatsoele made an input on how CPFs could be strengthened and how community participation could be sustained.

Following the presentations participants were then divided into four breakaway groups consisting of a mix of CPF Chairpersons, Station Commissioners and Area level commanders to discuss the perceived potential benefits of sector policing and to consider some of the challenges facing the implementation of sector policing. The discussion groups also proved beneficial for sharing ideas and practical initiatives undertaken in certain areas with regard to implementing and improving community and sector policing.

Following the break away deliberations each group then reconvened at a plenary session where there was a brief report back from each of the groups on the nature and extent of its deliberations. This proved beneficial to the stated objective of sharing information and ideas. The programme of the workshop is found below.

Programme
08h00 – 08h30	Coffee and registration
08h30 – 08h40	Welcome and Aims of the Area CPF Workshop Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, Mr. Gareth Newham
08h40 – 09h00	The Vision for Policing Johannesburg SAPS Johannesburg Area Commissioner, Oswald Reddy
09h00 – 09h20	The SAPS Sector Policing Approach Deputy Area Commissioner, Director Allen Billings
09h20 – 09h40	Sector Policing and the role of CPFs Chairperson of the Jhb Community Policing Area Board, Mr. Lionel Stein
09h40 – 10h00	Strengthening CPFs Deputy Area Commissioner, Director Petrus Ramatsoele
10h00 – 10h10	Questions and Clarification
10h10 – 10h30	Tea
10h30 – 11h30	Focused Group Discussions What are the potential benefits of sector policing for police/ community relations and the CPFs? What are the current challenges to achieving these benefits?
11h30 – 2h00	Group Discussions Report Back
12h00 – 13h00	Lunch
13h00 – 14h15	Focused Group Discussions Identify current or potential practical initiatives undertaken by CPFs that could assist sector policing.
14h15 – 14h45	Group Discussions Report Back
14h45 – 15h00	Vote of thanks and Closure

This report will provide a brief summary of each input made at the plenary (except for the presentation of the Chairperson of the Jhb Community Policing Area Board, Mr. Lionel Stein whose presentation will be attached as an annexure to this report). Subsequently to this, the discussions that transpired at group level were consolidated into a set of issues under the rubric of benefits, challenges and practical initiatives and will also be presented in this report.

2. Plenary Presentations

This section will provide a brief summary of the presentations that were made to the plenary of the workshop. These presentations aimed to provide participants with information such as how community policing forums and sector policing were important parts of the vision of the Johannesburg Area Commissioner and what sector policing is about. The presentations also aimed to stimulate discussion and debate in the small group deliberations that were to be subsequent held.

2.1 The Vision for Policing Johannesburg

SAPS Johannesburg Area Commissioner, Oswald Reddy

The Area commissioner summarised the intent and purpose of the deliberations outlined for the day, that was to investigate and probe the notion of sector policing and also examine how the different Community Policing Forums in the jurisdiction of the Johannesburg Community Policing Area Board might promote and develop sector policing. In addition the Area Commissioner outlined his vision for making the Johannesburg area the most successful in terms of reducing and preventing crime.

The Johannesburg area is currently rated number one with regard to incidents of crime. Notwithstanding the statistics, and considering the investment in personnel, resources [which were admittedly still limited], office space and the goodwill of the community at large, it was noted that in the next three to five years a reasonable impact will be measurable in the reduction of crime in Johannesburg.

The role of the CPF in realizing this vision of reduced crime is based on the premise that it has been proved that police cannot combat crime on their own; community participation has a much more considerable impact and is more effective in reducing crime, compared to the police working alone and in isolation from the community.

However, the Area Commissioner also pointed out that the relationship between the community and the police or the CPF and the Police for that matter, cannot be adequately addressed while the core vision of the organization which is dealing with crime, [that is the Police] remains unaddressed.

The Area Commissioner pointed out that even though there are more law abiding citizens than there are criminals in all communities, levels of community mobilisation remain low and he emphasised the need to mobilise the community in the fight against crime. In this regard, the Area Commissioner referred to "Operation Community Mobilisation" which was a campaign started in Hillbrow. This is a campaign based on obtaining a million signatures from citizens committing themselves to refraining from criminal conduct, avoiding buying stolen goods and reporting crime where they might become aware or are aware of crimes being committed. This was a desirable campaign which the Area Commissioner was keen to see adopted in all the 21 SAPS station precincts in Johannesburg.

With this campaign in mind, and with regard to a range of other matters in which there was an identifiable need for a common CPF logo, the Area Commissioner reported that there are discussions at National level for the need for a universal CPF logo. In the meantime however, he urged that there be no need to await the outcome of the National level discussion and that the one million pledge campaign could be one that should in the meantime, begin. He noted that this would require a database of the people who sign and make the pledge, so that adequate records can be kept.

In all communities people are tired of crime and they would like to know what they should do to help. The Police are usually approached by community members in this regard and in many instances responsiveness on the part of the police to community is poor. The usual advice given is to join the CPF, but when it is asked what is it that will be done once the CPF is joined, there are very few answers. Becoming a reservist is one option, but this would leave out the range of people who would like to assist the police but would not necessarily like to be directly involved in policing operations?

There was an identifiable need for vigorous debate about these issues and how community willingness to assist the Police be taken forward.

In the context of addressing the multiple range of issues, the Area commissioner outlined a 12 point strategy that had been handed to all station commissioners. Each Station Commissioner is responsible for incorporating this within their operational plan for each station. The strategy consists of focused initiatives in each of the following areas:

• Crime prevention;
• Crime detection;
• Crime intelligence;
• Community policing;
• Core management;
• Public assurance;
• Marketing;
• Financial management (internal);
• Human resource management (internal);
• Logistical management (internal);
• Performance management (internal); and
• Information systems technology.

To date much has been achieved by CPF's in various stations where they have amongst other things, contributed to donating vehicles, upgraded Community Service Centres and improved the stations physical environment leading to better working conditions for the police. However, in the long term much more was needed to be done and most fundamental in this regard was the need to clarify the relationship between the new initiative of developing Community Safety Forums (CSF) and the current Community Policing Forums (CPF). CSFs should not necessarily pose a threat to CPFs, nor exist in competition and conflict with them. If anything, they should prove complementary and co-operative. The Community Safety Forums will bring together CPF's, the Criminal Justice Cluster and other government departments which might be involved in, and which have role to play in crime reduction and crime prevention.

In conclusion, the Area Commissioner focused on Community Policing Forums and discouraged competition between them, encouraging cooperation instead. He emphasised that the benefits of co-operation will ensure that whatever good practices are implemented by one CPF could be adopted as initiatives by others.

2.2 The SAPS Sector Policing Approach

Deputy Area Commissioner, Director Allen Billings

The deputy Area Commissioner deliberated on the concept and practice of sector policing. Sector Policing, he said is based on current trends all over the world. 'Sector policing' was then defined as, "a method of policing in small manageable geographical areas within a policing precinct, which involves all role players in identifying the particular policing needs in each sector and addressing the root causes of crime as well as the enabling and contributing factors in order to ensure effective crime prevention to reduce the levels of prioritised crimes within the community and improve community safety".

The aim of policing in this manner is to develop a more decentralised and more personal approach to micro level policing which will allow for a clearer identification of the needs and requirements of communities.

It was obvious and was re-iterated earlier by the Area Commissioner that the Police cannot fight crime on their own and that the community needs to be actively involved. Given the limited resources at the disposal of the SAPS, the implementation of effective crime prevention strategies will require the assistance of the community and for this reason the SAPS has taken a decision to involve the community as well as Government Departments in the fight against crime.

Sector Policing will aim to mobilise the community and other role players at neighbourhood level.

In its process and implementation a number of steps should be followed. Firstly, sector policing will involve a police station deciding on how many sectors it would have in its precinct. This should be done by compiling a sector profile in which certain factors should be taken into account, including inhibiting factors to effective crime reduction (e.g. illegal liquor outlets), eliminating these factors, accounting for the social environment and identifying crime generators at the sector level. There will be a need to adapt policing and operations according to sector dynamics based on the size of the sector, its boundaries, numbers of people coming in and out of the sector and a geographic breakdown of each sector.

Secondly, there was a need at such a localised and decentralised level to mobilise and involve the community at large, including prominent business people, elected councillors, and other community leaders. He said that the assistance of the local CPF as well as that of the reservists should be sought, for example, where there is a shortage of person power a reservist who lives in the sector should be appointed as a sector manager. The rationale behind sector policing is that the community is assisted to solve its own problems.

Thirdly, with regard to the functioning of the Sector Community Forum (SCF) he said a secretary and a chairperson would need to be appointed at sector level. Sector activities would include monthly meetings, meetings to coordinate sector policing activities, identifying problems and solutions to identified problems and to monitor the implementation of activities. He warned that these forums should not be merely used to lay complaints but rather the role of the SCF should be emphasised as a problem solving forum at local level. If the solutions cannot be addressed at the SCF, it could be channelled to the Community Policing Forum which would act as a facilitator and forum for assistance to sectors that fall within its core area. Overall responsibility for activities of the Sector would be assumed by the SCF manager and it will be the duty of the sector mangers to give feedback on all matters concerning the SCF.

2.3 Strengthening Community Policing Forums

Deputy Area Commissioner, Director Petrus Ramatsoele

The Director was called upon to give an input on strengthening CPF's. He emphasised that what he was submitting was simply a proposal for consideration. In setting out the objectives of his proposed plan, he unveiled a three-pronged approach.

Objective One - How to ensure that all suburbs of each station area are represented at the CPFs?

In ensuring that all suburbs falling under a particular police station are represented in the CPF of that station, the Chairpersons of each CPF will have to ensure that it involves other role players such as, ward committees, residence associations and community leaders. This would cast a wider net over the community and enhance representation on the CPF.

Were a CPF be potentially too large, as may be the case of where too many suburbs fall under the jurisdiction of a particular police station, then the CPF should investigate the idea of constituting sub-forums. The Chairpersons of these sub-forums would then collectively convene at the level of the CPF. This option has the advantage of having all the suburbs represented on the CPF and in this manner the CPF will be better placed to address the concerns of all the sub-fora.

Objective Two - Ensuring that information in relation to crime flows properly from the community to the police?

The SAPS has access to a Geographical Information System (GIS), which provides a map of areas on which police can isolate areas where crimes occur and feed this into a database for detailed analysis and monitoring. This allows for better strategising and better planned operations.

External information that is credible and reliable will assist this process and provide a more complete and adequate picture with regard to what is going on. Such external information can only be sourced from the community and to facilitate this it is recommended that each CPF should elect an information officer whom the community can pass on information to, and who in turn will liaise with the crime analysis officer of the particular station concerned. Electing a dedicated information officer who will take responsibility for receiving information and liaising with the crime analysis officer will ensure a smooth flow of information to the relevant stakeholders, and ensure that the information will be properly utilised. In the past community members have complained that information that had been passed on was ignored or neglected. This process will at least aim to alleviate this problem.

An added advantage is that where a crime generator is identified the police will be able to act accordingly as well as involve other role players, for example security companies to the extent that they be able to use the information to assist the police in their duties.

Objective Three - Ensuring that community involvement is sustained?

The CPF activities will have to be assessed and monitored on a continuous basis in order to determine whether the projects they have in place are working sufficiently and adequately. In addition the police are interested in hearing not only how they might have failed to police certain areas, but also in hearing how they might improve services. To such an end, it is vital that constructive and critical contributions are made by CPF's who themselves have their programmes periodically monitored and evaluated. Monitoring and evaluating the activities of the CPF is key way of ensuring its success and relevance and will be a spur to better community involvement.

3. Small Group Deliberations

This section of the report will present the key issues to emerge in the small group deliberations relating to CPFs and sector policing. Although each small group discussion session began with a focus on a key question related to sector policing, a range of issues relating to community involvement in policing were raised and discussed. Each discussion group had a facilitator who lead the discussions and captured the key issues raised on a flip chart. This section presents the key issues that emerged in the group discussions.

3.1 The Potential Benefits of Sector Policing

It was noted that the potential benefits of sector policing, like all other activities in crime prevention, crime reduction and law enforcement, are interrelated and interdependent. As such they provide potential benefits for the community, the police and the CPF and as such the potential benefits cannot necessarily be separated with regard to who they benefit. In particular, the small groups identified the following points as potentially key benefits that could emerge as a result of ensuring effective sector policing.

• Sector Policing will focused resources on particular problems in communities.
• Representivity; all suburbs/ communities are more likely to be represented.
• This will result in more effective crime reduction initiatives as they will be based on specific knowledge of the area.
• There would be greater shared ownership of policing.
• The root causes of crime in particular areas will become more easily identifiable.
• In turn, it will be easier to identify the agency or authority responsible for addressing problems that give rise to the root causes of crime (e.g. an area of poor lighting or thick vegetation.)
• Greater benefit for the police as more members of the community will become aware of what exactly they are doing with regard to law enforcement, crime reduction and crime prevention.
• There would be greater community awareness of the services that are provided by the police and other organisations which will lead to improved access.
• Sector Policing will give the police a face in the community. It makes them more visible and more identifiable.
• It will assist the police in providing an equitable and responsive service across the precinct.
• It will help the police to familiarise themselves with the specific neighbourhoods.
• It will assist in better identifying the shortcomings in particular geographic areas, particularly specific crime generators and locations.
• It will allow for the division of areas into smaller sectors, providing a greater degree of manageability and community interaction thereby leading to situation based solutions.
• This will lead to a better prioritisation of crime hotspots.
• Sector policing will allow for more contact points and therefore better communications and information sharing between the community and the police.
• It could lead to the building of better personal relationships which in turn will lead to greater levels of community trust in the police.
• It will promote networking and sharing of responsibilities between the community, police and councillors.
• Sector Policing could potentially lead to greater responsiveness and more feedback from the police.
• Sector policing will potentially lead to a greater amount of transparency and accountability on the part of the police.
• There will be a positive change in the community perceptions of the Police.

3.2 The Current Challenges Facing Sector Policing

While the small group deliberations managed to identify a range of potential benefits that sector policing could bring, it was important that the current challenges to these benefits be identified and discussed. This would then allow for the SAPS and CPFs to focus their energies on overcoming these challenges so that the benefits of sector policing could become realisable. The following challenges currently confronting CPFs were identified:

• Most CPFs and police stations are facing resource and financial constraints. In particular there are insufficient logistics and human resources. CPF chairpersons and participants are volunteer their energies but may have other commitments that limit the time they can spend on CPF matters. This can lead to inefficiencies in getting projects up and running and undermine sustainability of the work of CPFs. There is a need for a dedicated person such as an administrative assistant who can work full time on CPF projects.
• Currently, there is a lack of a common understanding of what needs to be done and how sector policing is to be implemented, as well as a lack of a common understanding of that sector policing means and what it entails. In fact there seems to be no standardised understanding of the philosophy of sector policing amongst police managers themselves.
• There will also be a need to narrow the gap in understanding sector policing between managers and the police officers on the ground.
• There is a lack of co-ordination in the implementation of sector policing. Some stations and CPFs are involved in initiatives to promote sector policing while others are not.
• There is often a lack of accounting for local and specific contexts and conditions. Particularly where solutions to problems require financial resources. Some precincts include informal settlements and resources are scarce.
• One advantage of sector policing could well prove to be a limitation or a challenge. Developing familiarity with the police in a particular area and developing closer relationships could well see particular officers becoming targets in communities or be pressured into overlooking certain crimes or even be targeted for bribery and other irregular requests.
• It will prove a challenge to educate the public about what the police are doing and as to the complexities about how the criminal justice system works.
• It is very difficult to get all the necessary role players on board. This is a particular problem where communities are living in informal settlements.
• Maintaining sustainability - ensuring that once these sector forums are established they will be sustained. Often there are very motivated people on the CPF that keep things going but after a while they leave and initiatives stop. It is important that CPFs engage in a annual planning process so that there are clear objectives that can be followed by all members (including new participants) and progress can be measured over time. If participants see progress they are more likely to remain committed.
• Ensuring accountability and responsibility. It will be a challenge to ensure that sector forums are representing the real needs of their communities and do not get 'hi-jacked' by small groups who have very specific interests and can lead to problems such as "opportunistic vigilantism".
• Getting private security companies involved will be a challenge. They do not really have an interest in reducing crime as this may lower the demand for their services.
• While reservists may become sector managers it must be borne in mind that most reservists have other jobs and may not be available full time. The issue of payment of reservists was also raised as a challenge.
• It is important that civilians who work with the police ensure that they are adequately covered by their insurance if anything were to happen to them while working with the police.
• Certain values and guidelines have to be developed and generated to guide the appointment of sector managers.

That sector managers must be identified and trained. It is important to appoint the right person for the job. There was debate as to who should be appointed as sector managers, whether the appointee should come from the police or from the community? The view of most CPF members was that it should be a member of the community working fulltime and receiving a monthly salary, because the community would be familiar and comfortable with them. The SAPS members on the other hand argued that the Sector manager be a member of the police as the service will not pay a salary to someone outside of the police service. The issue about accountability was raised, as the station commissioners felt that they are the ones who will be responsible for activities happening at the stations, therefore it should be a police officer. Eventually, a compromise was reached, it was decided that a police officer should be a sector manager who liaises with the sector forum. However, sector forum chairpersons could be reservists or community members who live in the sector.

It was felt overall that because of different dynamics in different communities; only the principles of sector policing can be generic. Implementation would of necessity have to be context specific. However, while that may be the case, it is important that the generic principles and guidelines for sector policing be developed and publicised as a matter of public interest. In doing so, there is also a need for innovative approaches to sector policing. While much research has thus far guided the approach to sector policing, there in insufficient research guiding the concept and implementation of sector policing in the local context – especially locally conducted research.

3.3 Practical Initiatives for Sector Policing

The aim of having the small groups discuss the above issue was to allow for a sharing of ideas between policing precincts. As the implementation of sector policing has been uneven it was seen as potentially beneficial if practical initiatives that had been tried could be identified and documented. This could help CPFs, SCFs and sector managers with ideas for practical initiatives that could be undertaken to get sector policing off the ground. The following initiatives were identified:

• Enhancing community police visibility in a sector through hiring vehicles and clearly identifying them as CPF patrols. The volunteers on these patrols have direct numbers of on-duty officers and can be the ears and eyes of the police relaying information to the police station and assisting community members contact the police. Joint patrols between community members and police officers have also been undertaken.
• Ensuring that these forums always meet and interact on a monthly basis.
• Creating a database of households in the area. Community members who participate in sector forums go around to each house in the sector and get the name and contact details of people living there. These are then entered into a database so that the police know who they are dealing with when responding to calls.
• Full time sector manager from the SAPS is responsible for establishing the structures and maintaining the sector forums. This person must have received training, have access to a vehicle and to a cell phone.
• The sector forums can identify all the various organised groupings in their sector. Once they have done this they can then prioritise those that should have representatives on the forum. Sector managers or community volunteers can then establish meetings with these groups and determine what will be required for them to participate, what their expectations are and how they can contribute to sector policing.
• Sector forums have identified who provides specialised services such as trauma counselling in particular areas. They have also assisted in getting volunteers to go for training and provide counselling and other assistance at police stations for victims of crime.
• Sector forums have also raising finance from private businesses to buy police vehicles and tracking systems for these vehicles. They have also sponsored radio communications for the police.
• Some community forums or private organisations have Initiated and run successful op Cop Awards for outstanding police officers in their precincts (e.g. Hilbrow).
• Members of community forums have also undertaken hospital visitation for victims of crime in their sectors.
• Installed CCTV cameras in all the streets of Sandton linked to monitors at the station.
• Targeted intervention programmes have also been developed to bring community members into closer contact with the police. Some of these have been based on specific needs amongst some sectors (e.g providing swimming lessons for children of domestic workers).
• Community forums have also provided human support and resources to police managers.
• Graffiti walls have been used to send messages to the community.
• Websites and newsletters used to improve communication between the community and the police (e.g in Parkview police station have website http://www.parkviewpolice.co.za, which is used to communicate with the community).
• Where no person power is available, CPF's have mobilised volunteers or reservists to help the stations or act sector managers.

It was further suggested that the following are considered as potential initiatives that can be undertaken by CPFs to support sector policing:

• Police managers should start by establishing only one or two sectors in crime hot-spots in their areas. Once these are up and running and lessons can be learned as to what works and what doe not then other sectors can be profiled and established. This way police stations can get used to sector policing without being overstretched by having too many forums to manage initially.
• Setting up a section 21 company in each sector, which will be responsible for collecting monthly contributions from each household (e.g. R30 per month), to hire vehicles to patrol the sector.
• Community mobilization and awareness, CPFs could be playing a central role in educating communities about the sector policing and related issues.
• CPFs could play a role in the screening for the recruitment of reservists and other community volunteers.
• CPFs could fundraise money to improve technology at the station, especially installing things such computers and e-mails for sector managers.
• Technology to enable people to down load information and forms and send them electronically instead of physically going to the stations.
• Use cell-phone SMS's, pagers and e-mails to share information within the community and police stations.
• Apply pressure on various role players to ensure a holistic approach to crime prevention.
• Mobilize other role players such as local government councillors and private security companies to assist in sector policing.

3.4 General Discussion Issues

1. It was suggested that there be no prescriptions on how sector policing should be implemented. There is, however a need to have general guidelines on the role of CPF's in relation to sector policing. The detail of implementation itself should be left to precincts.

2. The area board should be limited to monitoring and evaluation. Potentially the Area Board could collect detailed information on 'best practices' at each police station/CPF as to initiatives that have been undertaken. This information could be written up into a short booklet and distributed to all precincts so that appropriate initiatives could be established more broadly.

3. Role definitions and clarifications are required for the Area board and the CPF's. In particular the relationship between the Area Board, the CPF's and Station Commissioners should be clarified.

4. There is a need for a more direct relationship between the area board and Station commissioners and a recommendation was made that Station Commissioners should attend Area Board meetings quarterly or with some other determined degree of frequency.

5. It was noted also that the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has embarked on a programme of zonal policing. This is similar to sector policing and there might be valuable lessons to be learnt and shared. Consequently there was need to engage more directly with the JMPD

4. Conclusion

As was mentioned in the beginning, the aim of this report is to provide SAPS commanders and CPF representatives with a document that captures most of the issues raised at the workshop. This document can then be used to ensure that other police commanders, CPF and Sector Community Forums (SCF) participants can be brought up to date with the strategy of sector policing and how it can be implemented. Furthermore, police commanders, CPF and SCF participants can use this document to identify key benefits, prioritise specific challenges to be overcome and obtain ideas on practical initiatives that can be undertaken to improve relationships between communities and the police.

© Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation