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

1. Presentation to Portfolio Committee on Police: SAPS Annual Report 2009/10 Bilkis Omar Senior Researcher

2. Presentation outline • Introduction • Good news • Challenges: • Research • Research & crime stats • Performance measures • Operational issues • CPFs • Conclusion

3. Introduction • 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

4. Good news • SAPS is to be commended on the professionalism of AR • Improvement evident over years, in quality and content

5. Good news…cont • 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

6. Challenges • 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

7. Research challenges • 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

8. Research challenges cont… • 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

9. Research & crime stats challenges • 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

10. Research & crime stats challenges • 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

11. Challenges in performance measures • 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

12. Other challenges…CPFs • 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

13. Operational challenges • 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

14. Conclusion • 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

15. Thank You Email: Bilkis@cjcp.org.za www.cjcp.org.za