Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Police: SAPS Annual Report 2009/10

Bilkis Omar

Senior Researcher

Presentation outline

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• 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…

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• 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

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• 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

THANK YOU

Email: Bilkis@cjcp.org.za

www.cjcp.org.za

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