Creating a safer South Africa isn’t a one-dimensional act. An integral part of the mission to decrease the country’s crime rate is the public reporting crimes or suspicious activities to their local police or to the South African Police Service. Filing these reports does more than aid investigation, it informs statistics, budget allocation and research.
No matter the crime, whether it’s petty theft or an intrusion, all must be reported. Most obviously, crimes can only be investigated once a report has been made and a statement has been taken, no action can occur without it. But, more is done with the information than the investigation itself.
When crimes are reported, they are added to a database of national crime statistics. This allows for crime trend tracking, which informs how and where resources are allocated. These resources include police officers, vehicles, and equipment. Since the statistics are available for public consumption, reporting crimes will ultimately help citizens keep vigilant in their areas, from choosing a suburb to live, to general daily conduct. Here is a comprehensive list of reasons to report crimes, as reported by Fourways Review:
- It helps with establishing crime trends and provides authorities with invaluable information on how to best allocate resources.
- If a car’s registration number is reported, the SAPS can immediately start tracking the vehicle and carry out stop-and-search intercepts.
- It helps in understanding both motive and modus of the crime and how crime prevention strategies are being deployed
- It ensures suspects can be sent to jail once they have been finally apprehended – without a complainant and case number, there is no case
- It helps the community to better understand and respond to safety issues
- It can lead to more arrests as your crime could be a critical link to another similar crime and could result in an arrest.
The process of reporting a crime is quite standard. If you fall victim to a crime, you must report it to your nearest SAPS station. The police officer will open a case docket and investigate the crime. Your other option is to report a crime anonymously by calling 08600 10111. You can also call 10111 for crime emergencies.
While you report a crime to SAPS, make sure to report it on Spottem and help your fellow South Africans build a safer nation.
Spottem is free for download on Android and iOS devices.
