More than 700 newly trained Metro Police officers have officially joined Cape Town’s fight against crime, marking the largest policing deployment in over a decade. The officers graduated on 9 September at a parade attended by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
The deployment introduces a permanent neighbourhood policing presence in every ward for the first time in the city’s history. Additional units will be stationed along the N2/Airport precinct and dedicated protection escorts will be provided for frontline service delivery teams working in high-crime areas.
Mayor Hill-Lewis said the new recruits will significantly strengthen the city’s safety efforts: “These new officers are set to make a big impact in every ward, along the N2, and in communities protecting our frontline staff. While City police already have the powers to search, arrest and prevent crime, the time has come for more policing powers – specifically to investigate crime and build dockets – so that we can ensure the 400 guns we take off the streets annually lead to actual convictions.”
The mayor confirmed he will meet Acting National Police Minister Firoz Cachalia this week to make the case for expanded policing powers for City officers.
The new recruits completed an 18-month learnership programme which included a 12-month Traffic Officer course, three months of Metro Police officer training including firearm competency, specialised training in neighbourhood safety, evidence-based policing, tactical response and the City’s EPIC system, as well as Civic Academy training.
Alderman JP Smith highlighted the long-standing vision for ward-based policing, first conceived in 2018: “This investment is a declaration, a clear message to the criminals who have held our communities hostage: your time is running out. A line is being drawn in the sand between lawlessness and order, between fear and safety.”
The City has steadily expanded its safety initiatives, including more than 1 200 officers deployed to crime hotspots under the LEAP programme with the Western Cape Government, over 1 100 new uniformed officers since 2021 with this latest deployment adding 700 more, and a major investment in safety technology such as drones, dashcams, bodycams, gunshot detection, CCTV, automated number-plate recognition, and the EPIC coordination system.
This milestone marks a decisive step in Cape Town’s strategy to strengthen law enforcement, protect communities, and push for a greater role in crime investigation and prosecution.
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