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Changes to public order policing from 2006 to 2011: Has there been any progress?

Changes to public order policing from 2006 to 2011: Has there been any progress?. Bilkis Omar. Outline. Changes to POP: 1996 to 2005 2006 changes 2006/07 study S ubsequent changes: The new SAPS 2008 incident affected POP What progress? W hat do we need from our POPs?.

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Changes to public order policing from 2006 to 2011: Has there been any progress?

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  1. Changes to public order policing from 2006 to 2011: Has there been any progress? Bilkis Omar

  2. Outline • Changes to POP: 1996 to 2005 • 2006 changes • 2006/07 study • Subsequent changes: The new SAPS • 2008 incident affected POP • What progress? • What do we need from our POPs?

  3. Changes to POPs • Pre 1994: Riot Units & ISD • Militaristic, no culture of observing HR, heavy handed • 1996: POP • in line with SAPS transformation: made sense given history • 1998 POPs disbanded • Political protests decreased • 2001/02: ACCU • Decentralised to area level, pool of resources for area commissioners • NCCS • Decrease in political protests • Primary function: crime combating • Secondary function: crowd management

  4. 2006/07 changes • 2006 Selebi restructured units • Unconstitutional & administrative • Poor service delivery at station level • Architects justified resructuring • Metro Police trained in crowd man as 1st responders • Crime prev members also trained in crowd man as force multipliers Did Selebi reasons to restructure make sense? • Ito police stations needing more capacity to enhance service deliver - Careful evaluation was needed

  5. 2006/07 study • Study of Gauteng ACCUs • Assessed capacity of units to manage protests • Ability of ACCUs to successfully police 2010 FIFA WC • Observe first hand what impact the restructuring had on ACCU • Rumours about changes • Morale low, uncertainty & fear • Protests would be managed by local station • Changes implemented

  6. 2006/07 study continued… • Objection raised re difficulties mobilising • Stations deal with small protests • At cost of day-to-day functions • Architects compromised: 3 ACCUs remained open • HR capacity 1383 ops members decreased 614 • Remaining 713 members were deployed to stations

  7. Location of Gauteng ACCUs before restructuring

  8. Location of CCUs after restructuring

  9. Structure of ACCU & CCU

  10. 2006/07 study: Outcome of restructuring? • Members deployed stations unhappy • Retrained station personnel – poor performance • In-service training & loss of esprit de corps • Policies not amended in line with changes • No capacity unanticipated increase in protests • Architects justified restructuring (IRIS) • My exam of IRIS showed bet 2002-2005 protests increased by 50% & violent protests increased by 64%

  11. 2006/07 study: findings • No intention evaluating Selebi’s restructuring • Dissolution of area level not concern for ACCUs • ACCUS could have remained 7 areas under command of PC • ACCUs continued assisting stations • Other HR for stations sourced elsewhere • Restructuring of ACCUs not good idea as were functioning effectively crowd situations, while continuing to support stations in crime combating

  12. 2006/07 study • Respondent: “large unanticipated, violent event cause SAPS management realise the damage wrought to ACCUs!!!” • May 2008 xenophobic violence struck SA • CCUs struggled • SAPS forced reopen some CCUs & increase manpower • SAPS management image in tatters

  13. Subsequent changes: The new SAPS • 2010 WC increase resources • Retrained CCUs - Belgian to French method • Aug 2008 new Minister of S&S • May 2009 Ministry of S&S changed to Ministry of Police • July 2009 new police commissioner appointed • Change in the approach to policing–inane changes but profound effect on members • SAPS ORS conference (Tatane) • Mar 2011 CCUs – POP • New policy on POP

  14. Any progress? • 2010 FIFA WC success • Policing of protests - no improvement • Violations HR reminiscent apartheid police • Poor command and control, inadequate training, lack of resources - same issues 2006 • SAPS Conference: no clear developments • New policy on POP will be worthless unless policy implemented • Non implementation - weak management at national level • Emphasis on national as commands /orders & even resources

  15. What do we need of POPs? • Implementationof policies • Well capacitated and well functioning POP to respond more effectively to public protest activity • Within a human rights framework • One criteria by which SAPS should be judged by “When discussing police capacity there is vital question to keep in mind: are we capable of managing a long term crisis situation of national scope, without hampering basic police service” Piet Peters

  16. Thank You Questions?

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