Overview of SAPS roles and responsibilities and demand reduction

1
Overview of SAPS roles and responsibilities and
demand reduction

• Assistant Commissioner
• Tertius Geldenhuys

2
Introduction

• SAPS is one of the departments represented on the
  Central Drug Authority
• Its activities to combat use and trafficking of
  drugs are in support of the implementation of the
  National Drug Master Plan
• The NDMP is available on the government website,
  follow links from www.socdev.gov.za
• SAPS must be involved in Provincial Substance
  Abuse Fora and Local Drug Action Committees to
  support integrated action
• SAPS must annually adopt a mini Drug Master Plan
  and report on its implementation to the CDA, that
  in turn reports to Parliament

3
Focus areas of the Police

• Supply reduction as law enforcement agency this
  is our major focus
• Demand reduction
• Criminal Records and Forensic Science supports
  specifically supply reduction, but information is
  also used for prevention
• Training - supports both supply and demand
  reduction

4
The Role of Police in demand reduction

• SAPS plays a supporting role in regard to demand
  reduction using mostly
• Crime information and analysis
• Visible Policing and Crime Combating Operations
• Community Policing
• Communication

5
Demand reduction objectives

• Ensure effective law enforcement and proactive
  policing measures against manufacturing,
  trafficking, supply and use of illegal drugs.
• Prevent and reduce drug use and related problems
  through mobilizing communities.
• Use information generated by SAPS and communities
  to inform policing and prevention actions by
  partners
• Prevent/delay the onset of drug use.
• Build partnerships to address education and
  prevention of drug abuse and provide treatment

6
Focus on schools

• SAPS and Department of Education formed a
  partnership to promote Safe Schools and address
  risk factors such as use of alcohol and drugs in
  schools and by children
• Police stations must work with schools in each
  station area and sector to deal with law
  enforcement, visible policing and support
  prevention
• Actions include liquor control operations, drug
  raids, searches and seizures, patrols in problem
  areas, awareness campaigns
• Prevention programs can be part of sector
  policing, or make use of Adopt A Cop programs
  based on forming relationships between SAPS and
  school communities

7
Focus on schools

• In practice we found that SAPS members were
  involved in many different aspects of prevention
  with various degrees of success
• Initiatives welcomed by communities were not
  necessarily showing results
• SAPS members were engaging in activities for
  which they were not trained
• Experts in prevention and treatment were very
  critical about some common practices
• Many activities undertaken by or demanded from
  SAPS members were not sustainable
• SAPS members are not all trained to present drug
  education programs, hence the focus is on working
  with the school community in support of a drug
  education and life skills programs presented by
  experts (teachers, social workers, drug
  counselors)

8
Demand reduction guidelines

• Drug demand reduction initiatives are viewed as a
  means of Preventing the use of drugs and
  reducing the adverse consequences of such use.
• Guidelines are intended to support and give
  effect to the strategic objectives of the SAPS.
• Provide a national, uniform framework and
  guideline for the implementation of drug demand
  reduction initiatives by Station Commissioners.
• Guidelines have been drawn from local and
  international strategies and directives/ good
  practice statements on drug demand reduction and
  related strategies.
• The guidelines require that SAPS members focus on
  policing and law enforcement activities that
  contribute to prevention

9
Demand reduction guidelines

• The guidelines include a reference section on
  drug classification with photographs and
  descriptions of drugs
• Drug identification is also one of the training
  requirements for operational SAPS members and
  this knowledge is useful when working with
  communities
• For child offenders, SAPS supports a restorative
  justice approach that requires that children must
  accept accountability for their actions (this can
  include but is not limited to diversion)
• Drug treatment programs can be included in
  diversion programs
• Participation in Local Drug Action Committees is
  encouraged as it links the SAPS to other
  resources and services essential to addressing
  drug abuse.

10
Focus areas of the Police

• Supply reduction is the main focus of the SAPS
  and includes
• Investigation of drug related crime and organized
  crime
• Crime Intelligence
• Liquor Control
• Border Control and Security
• International co-operation in regard to
  transnational organized crime and international
  initiatives to combat drug trafficking

11
Measures to Combat Organised Crime

• OPERATIONAL FRONT
• Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA)
• Organised Crime Project Investigations
  (Intelligence led operations)
• Disruptive operations
• Mandate broadened with inclusion of SVC
• Dedicated POCA Prosecutors appointed
• Legislative Measures Prevention of Organised
  Crime Legislation (POCA)
• Criminalize money laundering
• Criminalize racketeering
• Gang related activities
• Criminal and civil forfeiture
• CARA
• Instrumentality of crime
• Suspected proceeds of unlawful activities

12
Measures to Combat Organised Crime

• SAPS ACT
• Corruption Legislation
• Section 252A (Regulate undercover operations
  traps)
• Interception and monitoring of cell phones and
  other communications
• Witness protection
• Transnational cooperation
• SARPCCO
• Interpol
• SAPS Liaison Officer Network
• Foreign liaison community
• Interagency Cooperation
• Synergy in CJS
• Dedicated prosecutors or specialist courts
• Develop strategic partnerships with other
  stakeholders

13

• In a world where national and international
  boundaries are increasingly irrelevant, the need
• for cooperation and coordination among law
  enforcement has never been greater.

14
Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse
Bill Challenges

• Clause 20(1) Death of service user in Treatment
  Centre
• Clause 29(3) Detention in police cells
• Clause 31(8) Detention after enquiry
• Clause 36(1) Detention of person pending enquiry
• Clause 47(6) Reporting serious crimes
• Clause 48(4) Absconder from Treatment Centre
• Clause 56(3) Members of LDAC