Major expansion of neighbourhood safety in Cape Town: 700 new officers deployed
Officers will be deployed across various wards.
Image: Supplied
Cape Town is set to strengthen community policing with the deployment of 700 new Metro Police officers, marking a historic expansion of neighbourhood safety across the city. Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, explained that the rollout of Neighbourhood Safety Officers (NSO) will see five officers assigned to each of the city’s 93 wards, consisting of one sergeant and four constables.
The deployment builds on existing policing efforts, including the LEAP programme, which already places over 900 officers in 23 high-crime wards. In addition to ward-level policing, the new NSO teams will provide a dedicated unit for the N2/Airport precinct and offer protection escorts for frontline service delivery teams in crime hotspots.
The officers, who completed an intensive 18-month learnership programme, are trained in traffic enforcement, firearm competency, evidence-based policing, tactical operations, and EPIC technology. Cadets also underwent Civic Academy training, equipping them with the skills to engage with communities and manage safety challenges effectively.
According to Smith, the NSO teams will report directly to area chiefs in each of the city’s four policing areas, who in turn report to the Senior Management Team for Safety and Security. While SAPS remains the lead agency for crime prevention, NSO teams will support local enforcement and act as the first point of contact for safety-related matters within wards.
Communities can expect tangible benefits from the new officers. The NSO teams will strengthen local law enforcement capacity, gather and share information to combat crime, identify root causes in collaboration with local partners, and improve response times to complaints.
The officers will also have access to a range of specialised resources and technology, including vehicles, firearms, EPIC devices, and support from specialised units such as the Gang and Drugs Task Team, TRU, and the Canine Unit. Their training, part of the Project 1 000 skills development programme, included 35 modules covering physical fitness, legislation, practical assessments, vehicle inspections, roadblocks, tonfa training, restraining techniques, and firearms training for handguns and shotguns.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said: “As a City making major investments in policing resources, we are sending a clear message today to our partners in SAPS and national government: we are here to help make Cape Town safer. 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 and removal of criminals from the streets of long-suffering communities. Right now our broken criminal justice system secures convictions in just 5% of these cases, but we know this can dramatically improve once we get more policing powers for our officers.
“We are encouraged by Acting National Police Minister Firoz Cachalia’s openness to the idea of more policing powers for City police. On Thursday we will meet the Acting Minister in Cape Town to set out the case for the City and SAPS working hand-in-hand to gain more convictions, especially in the fight against gang, gun, and drug crime.”
Smith emphasised that this deployment represents the largest investment in boots on the ground in over a decade.
“This dedicated presence in every ward will provide a visible and proactive policing approach, enabling communities to feel safer while improving collaboration with local law enforcement,” he said.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za