It is vitally important to recognise those who dedicate their lives to protect us on a daily basis.
This was one of the main messages at the annual Sea Point Top Cop awards which took place on Wednesday October 5 at the Victoria Junction Hotel in Green Point.
On the night Sea Point police gave a breakdown of the crime in the area while guest speaker, advocate and author Andrew Brown told of his experiences as a voluntary auxiliary officer at the Mowbray police station.
Event MC, Eldred Polikoff, a member of the Sea Point Rotary Club, said the Top Cop Awards had become an important part of the Rotary Club’s calendar.
Homing in on crime in the area, Colonel Christo Engelbrecht, said one of their main concerns at the moment was theft out of motor vehicles, which was “on the increase again”.
“We make regular arrests for remote control jamming devices. In the past few months we have had a problem with house break-ins but there were some good arrests made in the Green Point area. Due to visible policing and community involvement, it has helped.”
Colonel Engelbrecht also cited the Licence Plate Recognition camera project by the Sea Point Community Police Forum as a big boost in the fight against crime. He also thanked the Rotary Club for rewarding the work they were doing in the community.
Heather Tager, chairperson of the Sea Point CPF, congratulated the SAPS members and announced the winner of the Davin Abramson Memorial Shield – former ward councillor Jacques Webber.
Advocate Andrew Brown, whose last book Good Cop, Bad Cop said it was important to recognise the work of the police officers.
“Tonight is about foot soldiers of the South African Police Service. Police men and women are special people.
“They don’t join the police force just because they are angels. They join it because it is a job. But when they put on that uniform, something happens and they become better people. They become someone who is prepared to risk their life for a stranger. That makes them special people.”