MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES DURING FIREARM AMNESTY

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MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES DURING FIREARM AMNESTY
Willie Visser
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Background

• Office is in Somerset - West in Western Cape
• Current staff complement 42 people
• We service two Provinces, Western- and Northern
  Cape. The busiest being Western Cape

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BACKGROUND
IBIS

• Natalie Davids - IBIS Co-ordinator Western Cape
• Julie Naude - IBIS Operator
• Monwa Monakali - IBIS Operator
• Nelie Dela - Administration
• Capt. Willem Smit - Not with IBIS any more due
  to immense task with Internal Training but he
  played a major role in the success with IBIS in
  the Western Cape during the challenging times.

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Background
THE FIREARM AMNESTY

• The Firearm Amnesty was announced around January
  2005.
• Basically it indemnified anybody for being in
  possession of an illegal firearm.
• However, nobody was exempted from prosecution
  should theyve committed an offence with the
  firearm.
• That was where IBIS obviously came into the
  picture

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Whats the problem?

• South Africa is a gun loving society
• Legal firearms runs into millions
• Illegal firearms - anybodys guess!! By looking
  at the volumes that weve been receiving, there
  is a lot more than what weve ever anticipated.

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Whats the problem?

• Coupled with the above, the new Firearms Control
  Act 60 of 2000 were instated.
• Limits people to 4 firearms much stricter to
  obtain a licence than previously.
• All firearm owners need to reapply for their
  firearm licences or hand it back to the police.
• As an alternative they may have it
  deactivated.... more work for IBIS.
• Thousands of firearms were handed back.

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What was handed in?

• A lot of illegal firearms in private possession
• Thousands more legal firearms which people didn't
  want anymore because of the new Legislation
• Several thousand SAP13 firearms in SAPS safes all
  over the provinces that needed to be cleaned
  out in order for SAPS to comply with the new
  Legislation.
• And obviously all normal criminal cases which is
  our first priority.
• In total 30 721 cases were dealt with.

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The Process
ONLY FIREARMS FOR DESTRUCTION
1. ACCU members shoots tests from firearms -
each marked with a unique number
2. Tests brought to Ballistics with covering
minute stating necessary details
3. Each test is checked and signed as proof of
chain of custody.
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The Process
AT IBIS
There are two important legs in the registration
at IBIS
The Exhibit Management System critical important
for real time handovers and exhibit integrity
The FSL Management System that creates a unique
LAB number for each case.
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The Process
The FSL Management System
IBIS Admin register exhibit on FSL Management
System for Lab Number
Lab Numbers supplied to SAPS a.s.a.p. in order to
proceed with destruction of firearms
IBIS admin closes off FSL Management System when
DAS operator are done with case.
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The Process
THE EXHIBIT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
IBIS Admin. register test/exhibit on system
Handed over to Operator for DAS scanning
Back to IBIS Admin. for FSL Management System
closing
Send to docket room for archiving
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The First Challenge

• For the firearms to be destroyed the Provincial
  Head needs a FSL Lab number
• The IBIS admin person was spending 8 hours
  straight per day receiving exhibits. No time for
  registration!
• Due to the fact that firearms are a huge
  political issue the Prov. Commander were
  applying a lot of pressure. I used all available
  manpower and all the available overtime to
  deplete the backlog.
• I also asked the P.C. for administration people
  to help and got one person on a rotating basis.

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More Problems

• With all the exhibits that were being registered
  there was a backlog on the FSL Management System
  of about 11 000 on a permanent float
• Storage of those exhibits was also a critical
  problem
• The FSL Management System can only be closed off
  once DAS Operator are done and the Western Cape
  Lab Director was concerned about the huge backlog
• My personal concern was the fact that a firearm
  may be destroyed before we checked it on IBIS

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More Problems
POWER OUTAGES

• Coupled with the ever rising backlog, was the
  worst power outages that the Western Cape ever
  experienced.
• Not only were these outages irregular and mostly
  undeterminable, but it also lasted for several
  hours at a time
• Because of the frequency of these outputs where
  the UPS didnt have time to recharge properly and
  also the accompanying surges in the electricity,
  it also broke down and had to be repaired

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More Problems
ABSENTEEISM

• The evergreen one -
• Over the last two years serious problems were
  experienced with long periods of illness
• Above and beyond that, normal leave was also
  taken
• A total of 133 work days between 2 operators were
  lost
• On top of that we have a myriad of public
  holidays as well to contend with.

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More Problems!!
THE TAXI WARFARE

• During the same time widespread taxi violence
  erupted over allocated routes. Several incidents
  per week and in some cases per day were called
  in.
• Top priority was given to this highly political
  volatile situation and everything needed to be
  stopped and those exhibits must be run against
  outstanding cases before anything else.
• Immediate answers were expected and again the
  Provincial Commander was pushing hard for results.

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Finding Solutions

• Obtaining help from the Province - ACCU Members
  on rotating basis
• Getting the ones that are capable and willing on
  a permanent loan basis
• Doing emergengy and unplanned training to get
  these guys up and running
• Having only two DASs and 8 hours in a day was a
  huge setback...... shifts were instated
• Since there was still time open on weekends,
  shifts were also worked for overtime by firearm
  examiners

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More solutions

• Downtime is always a hassle, but when youre
  pressed for time it is much more painfull.
• Towards the end of 2005 after the 3.4.6 Update
  and the beginning of 2006 we experienced a short
  time of serious downtime, in one case 20 days
  straight....... very frustating!
• However, once the problems were sorted out we had
  a hassle free ride and minor problems like the
  UPS were sorted out quickly and effectively
• In that regard... Thanks FTI

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More Solutions

• Norms are great to ensure people obtain minimum
  work output... however, it is a huge hurdle when
  you want to work down a backlog.
• We saw that the national norms were a bit lenient
  and renegotiated with everybody new norms with an
  added bonus if they perform well.
• Results were excellent and operators were
  competing in good spirit.

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Sweet Success!!
Completed cases as per FWL Management System

• Pretoria 5 DASs
  17 944
• Kwazulu-Natal 3 DASs
  13 725
• Eastern Cape 2 DASs
  6 189
• Western Cape 2 DASs
  26 366
  
  
• PLUS 14 HITS ON SAP13 CASES

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Reflecting Back

• Dedicated personnel (all over)
• Clear goals for everyone
• Excellent support from FTI
• A brilliant IBIS System performing to our
  expectations and which didnt let us down when
  needed most!

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