Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith addresses the new police recruits on Thursday, 24 July 2025. [@Our_DA/X]
(The Post News)- The City is finalising the training of 700 police recruits set to be deployed this spring in a first-of-its-kind safety rollout covering every ward in Cape Town.
On 24 July, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, visited the police recruits who are nearing the end of their intensive 18-month training programme at the City’s training college in Observatory.
The training programme has equipped the recruits with a wide range of skills, including traffic enforcement, firearm competency, tactical policing, and the use of advanced digital tools like the EPIC system for real-time incident reporting. In addition, the recruits underwent civic education through the City’s Civic Academy, preparing them to engage effectively and empathetically with the communities they will serve.
With the South African Police Service (SAPS) overstretched, the City has created these new roles to ensure neighbourhoods receive dedicated policing effectively aimed at increasing engagement, strengthening community-to-police trust, visibility, and safety at the local level.
Mayor Hill-Lewis expressed excitement about the initiative, stating, “These [police] officers will build meaningful relationships with residents, understand local challenges, and contribute significantly to making our city safer.”
This initiative forms a key part of the City’s ‘Invested in Hope’ budget, which supports a range of safety and infrastructure projects. Since 2021, Cape Town has increased its law enforcement capacity by over 1,000 officers and partnered with the Western Cape Government to deploy more than 1,200 LEAP officers.
In this initiative, police officers will be entrusted with advanced technology, including the EPIC hand-held device, which enables real-time reporting and faster response times to incidents. This device is one component of Cape Town’s extensive three-year, R860 million investment into new safety technology.
This modern equipment and comprehensive training are part of Cape Town’s commitment to creating a safer City. These police officers are set to transform neighbourhood policing by strengthening the connection between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Please share your thoughts contact Lukhona via email: journalist-lukhona@thepostnews.net
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