Cape Town - The new top cop in Mitchell’s Plain is keeping a watchful eye over firearms and gang activities, and has made a clarion call to residents to work alongside police.
Speaking to the Cape Argus after completing his first 100 days at the helm of the station, which was embroiled in two firearm scandals, Brigadier Mark Hartzenberg, says the public can rest assured that he is doing everything in his power to fight back against criminals.
Hartzenberg, who formerly served as the station commander at Elsies River, said the team at Mitchell’s Plain has been hard at work over the past three months to tackle ongoing gang conflicts in the precinct.
“I took up command of Mitchells Plain in March, at a time when gang violence seemed to trap the community, holding them hostage in their own homes.
“Policing was at an uphill battle to combat the gang violence, which left both community and officers at its wits’ end.
“The community was left distraught and hopeless as they faced the scourge of substance abuse, turf wars between rival gangs and blatant disregard for law and the safety of the innocent lives.”
Hartzenberg said with ongoing gang conflicts in Tafelsig and Beacon Valley, the team revised their strategies to address the two notorious hotspots.
“We have also split our sector managers into two teams to ensure the communities are always covered over weekends and we have grown the Community in Blue.
“This sees residents assist the police in hotspot areas.”
In February this year, Mitchells Plain residents took to the streets to protest.
This was after it was revealed that 15 firearms and eight imitation weapons used in criminal activities were stolen from the station.
Cape Argus