presentation to portfolio committee on police: saps annual report 2009/10
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Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Police: SAPS Annual Report 2009/10. Bilkis Omar Senior Researcher. Presentation outline. Introduction Good news Challenges: Research Research & crime stats Performance measures Operational issues CPFs Conclusion. Introduction. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Police: SAPS Annual Report 2009/10
Bilkis Omar
Senior Researcher
Presentation outline
2
• Introduction• Good news• Challenges:
– Research– Research & crime stats– Performance measures– Operational issues– CPFs
• Conclusion
Introduction
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• The AR has an important role to play in ensuring that SAPS continues contributing towards a safer society
• Generally regarded as ‘just another’ document
• Contribution has been under-estimated
Good news
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• SAPS is to be commended on the professionalism of AR
• Improvement evident over years, in quality and content
Good news…cont
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• Language of SAPS in AR smarter, for e.g. – ‘Quality of police, not quantity’, ‘focused
recruitment’– ‘Discipline & fitness’, ‘command & control and
improved infrastructure at stations’
• Direction of SAPS in AR smarter, for e.g.– Seems to be a more open & cooperative
relationship with civil society
Challenges
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• However…• Certain omissions in AR which speak to
efficiency & effectiveness of police and policing
• If rectified can go a long way in answering some questions, such as, how well SAPS is actually performing
Research challenges
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• AR does not make any recommendations, only provides reports and does brief crime analyses
• What is required is clear assessments, even critique of issues that are raised
• AR compiled by the research division of SAPS, this should be a simple matter for them
Research challenges cont…
8
• No evidence of ‘internal, in-depth’ research by SAPS in AR
• Secretariat of Police mandated to do research
• Should be made obligatory in each division within SAPS as it can provide support for: – Oganisational changes & restructurings– Police operations – Informing policy
Research & crime stats challenges
9
• Crime stats currently released once a year• Should be released bi-annually• However, should also be accessible as
required for research purposes • Can be done in accordance with SAPS
procedures for research
Research & crime stats challenges
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• SAPS has a ethos of declining or ignoring requests for crime data
• Ultimately SAPS and those exercising oversight benefit from providing stats for research purposes
Challenges in performance measures
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• Current target measure in AR is 7%-10% • Flawed as police do not determine crime rate
and have no control over crime rates, yet are are measured by this
• Target measure recently dropped to 4%-7%• While drop may lessen cases of crime stats
manipulation & even remove some degree of pressure from police, it remains an incorrect measure of police performance
Other challenges…CPFs
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• CPFs currently located under the ambit of the SAPS
• CPFs play a central role in monitoring and support of police stations
• Should be relocated under the Secretariat of Police to improve effectiveness of CPFs and the monitoring capacity of the Secretariat itself
Operational challenges
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• Information provided on specialised units is too brief, especially in light of the challenges units were faced with since being restructured and then re-established
• Similarly, figures for backlog of forensic evidence should be provided, especially with the establishment of new robotics system
Conclusion
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• AR mostly used by police, government departments and organisations working in the field of policing
• Provides useful information & should be more informative to benefit policing ultimately