The need for specialization in the SAPS: the case of the Stock Theft Unit in the diamondfield area

Abstract

During 2002/2003 units in the South African Police Service, such as the Stock Theft Unit in Kimberley were closed which was followed with the closure of the Stock Theft Unit in Postmasburg the next year. Both these units are situated within the Diamondfield police area in the Northern Cape Province. At the time the closure of these units elicited varied reactions from the farmers' community, the general public and members of the SAPS. This lead to the question what the effect of the closure had on the trust in the police by the farmers' community and whether it had an effect on the fear of crime which lead, in turn to the non-reporting of crime and even vigilantism. In this study the principles of community policing are studied to determine whether they can be used to address the problem caused by the closure of the units. The current application of community policing in the South African Police Service is discussed as it is implemented through sector policing and Community Police Forums (CPF) and through other applications thereof. In addition, specialization as manifested in the investigation and detection of crime and especially stock theft by the Stock Theft Units (STU), are discussed. In the study stock theft statistics from neighbouring states in Africa, as well as those of Australia and Scotland are compared with those of South Africa. The South African situation is further divided into national, provincial and area levels. In the contexts of the Diamondfield Area it was broken down to jurisdictions areas of the Stock Theft Units in order to draw conclusions and comparisons. In the Diamondfield Area the area previously serviced by the Stock Theft Unit Kimberley are compared with that of the Stock Theft Unit Postmasburg. Questionnaires were distributed among the farmers' community, using a proportional stratified random sampling method; subsequently focus group interviews were held with members of the closed Stock Theft Unit Kimberley. This was triangulated by a focus group interview with members of the Stock Theft Unit Postmasburg, as well as with individual interviews with an influential representative of the farmers' community at both area and provincial level, and the National Head of the Stock Theft Unit of the South African Police Service. The SARA model (Scanning, Analysis, Response and Assessment), was used to evaluate the results of the questionnaires and to interpret the research in order to make recommendations how to address the identified problems. Lastly, an implementation plan was drawn up to facilitate the process of addressing the identified problems.