Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (Leap) officers came under attack and three of their vehicles were damaged in Hanover Park at the weekend while they were detaining a suspect.
In an attempt to free the suspect, some residents apparently turned against the officers and subsequently damaged their vehicles. These efforts proved futile as the suspect was eventually detained.
Police oversight and community safety MEC Reagen Allen said the vehicles were out of commission and unable to be used in crime-fighting efforts in an area where there was much need.
“This is unacceptable behaviour and I condemn it in the strongest terms. The community members who allegedly participated in this lawless act should know that they have made themselves guilty of interference and obstructed officers of the law in executing their duties. Investigations are currently under way and where a case can be made against anyone complicit, the law will have to take its course. Hanover Park is an area that is plagued by gang violence, and which we are committed to servicing by actively addressing crime. This is part of the reason why we have increased our Leap deployment, and the City of Cape Town has also ensured that additional law enforcement agencies are present in the area,” said Allen.
He appealed to residents with information about those who participated in the incident to come forward.
“Like all other communities, as the Western Cape government, we want to rid our areas of gangs and crime, to offer our residents safer and more dignified neighbourhoods. I would like to thank and commend our Leap officers for their commitment and continued work to make Hanover Park and other communities safer. Despite such challenges, they have shown incredible resilience and fortitude.”
Meanwhile, metro police officers were commended for swiftly arresting a murder suspect shortly after he allegedly committed the crime on ramp to Jake’s Gerwel Drive yesterday.
According to the City, the officers were en route to report at the shadow centre on the N2 when they noticed four men in a scuffle.
“When the officers stopped, they saw one of the suspects brandishing a firearm who bolted at the sight of them. They caught up with him and found a Vector 9mm pistol loaded with 11 live rounds of ammunition in his possession. At the scene of the scuffle, the officers found one man with gunshot wounds and alerted paramedics. They treated the victim and transported him to hospital. The gun still had its serial number and was found to have been stolen in Mitchell’s Plain,” said safety and security mayco member JP Smith.
The 20-year-old, detained at Manenberg SAPS, was expected to be charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Also in Manenberg, officers attached to the Anti Economic Crime Task Team and Anti Extortion Task Team arrested two suspects, aged 26 and 27 found to have been in possession of a firearm allegedly used in extortions between two gang groupings in the Manenberg area.
Following leads about the firearm on Sunday, the officers operationalised the information and searched the identified address in Scheldt Walk, and confiscated a .38 revolver and ammunition hidden in one of the rooms.
The two are expected to appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court.
Cape Times