Stellenbosch Municipality now allows private entities to contractually employ law enforcement officers.
This is according to Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson for the municipality. The service was announced on 6 July and forms part of the Law Enforcement and Traffic Officer Policy, according to the municipality’s website.
“This policy has been widely welcomed by organisations and businesses who are willing to work with the municipality in a private-public partnership to ensure a safer environment,” said Grobbelaar.
Stellenbosch Municipality’s Law Enforcement and Traffic Officer Policy allows private entities to rent law enforcement officers. The policy forms part of several progressive policies adopted by the municipality aimed at improving safety, said Stuart Grobbelaar, the municipality spokesperson. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
“An officer is hired on contract to be the dedicated officer for a particular area,” said Grobbelaar. The officers can only operate on public or municipal property, he explained.
The fee paid to use this service frees up law enforcement resources, which are then directed to crime-stricken areas to allow for more visible policing, said Grobbelaar.
Business benefits
“[Renting a law enforcement officer] would be fantastic for a business like ours,” said Armand Botha, the manager of Bohemia, a bar in Stellenbosch.
“[I] do think it’s a great idea, especially in a student town like Stellenbosch where everyone would like to feel safe walking around,” he stated.
However, Botha said that he would prefer to employ his usual private security persons for Bohemia’s security needs.
“Utilising law enforcement to help protect us, especially around the times we close the shop, would help us feel and actually be safe. We could also use them as security throughout the night until someone opens up the shop again the next day,” said Armand Botha, manager of Bohemia, a bar in Stellenbosch. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
Renting a law enforcement officer would have been good for business, according to Rory Atkinson, a former owner of Entourage Night Club in Stellenbosch.
“Having the support of the police presence would have helped with the dispersal of unruly patrons and helped us not be robbed both during the day and at night,” said Atkinson.
“[Entourage] had a short period […] where the police agreed to drive slowly past our venue towards closing time and we saw a marked reduction in disruptive behaviour and noise because of this,” claimed Atkinson. “People behave better around visible but restrained policing.”
Public hesitation
The law enforcement resources that have been freed up through this service will be sent to areas like Cloetesville, Kayamandi, Groendal, Vlottenburg and Klapmuts, Grobbelaar explained. In these areas, “more boots on the ground and visible patrolling can lead to crime prevention”, he claimed.
“I haven’t seen [law enforcement officers] yet,” claimed Brian Wenn, Klapmuts public liaison officer.
Stellenbosch Municipality’s ‘rent an officer’ service expands existing services and ensures more visibility on the ground, said Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson for Stellenbosch Municipality. PHOTO: Aiden Louw
“We also should guard against making the law enforcement a security company for those who can afford [them] and then forget about the service they should render to the community,” said Wenn. “The only way it can benefit the community is if they employ from our unemployed community members.”
A contracted law enforcement officer for the municipality said that he was not in support of the policy.
He said that he did not think it would help crime-affected communities. “For the businesses and people who can afford it […] yes, it will help them,” he claimed.