Specialised Policing

SaferAfrica makes a distinction between basic and specialized policing. Within the specialized policing component, SaferAfrica focuses on providing substantive technical advice and facilitation of processes for the provision of specialised police training.

Crime Prevention

Crime Intelligence

Forensics

Transnational Organised Crime

Investigation skills

Crime prevention

SaferAfrica deals with both basic and specialised crime prevention activities. The latter, as dealt with in this section, concerns those initiatives which are conducted at a regional level and impact upon a number of different law enforcement agencies simultaneously. Usually this activity involves SaferAfrica working as a technical expert within a regional task team dealing with the development of training curriculum on more advanced or specialised police training such as a drug crime prevention course or developing programmes for the training of dog handlers and sniffer dogs.

Crime Intelligence

Crime intelligence refers to the process of information gathering in a centralised and integrated manner through the means of intelligence management, coordination and analysis. The extent of the utility of crime intelligence extends to the ability that it is able to provide support service to the operational components of the law enforcement officials.

Forensics

Forensics refers to the use of science to scrutinise evidence to be placed before a court of law. It encompasses a range of techniques available to investigators in criminal matters for establishing proof. These techniques include, for example, matching DNA samples, establishing the trajectories of shots fired, comparisons between bullets and cartridge cases to specific firearms, the reconstruction of the crime incidence, etc. With regards to forensic investigation, the investigating officer is limited by both the skills of the forensic investigating personnel and the technologies available at the forensic laboratories.

Transnational organised crime

Organised crime refers to the activities of individuals or groupings of people which engage in illegal activity with the purpose of deriving economic or other benefit. It is widely recognised that dealing with organised crime which is transnational in character requires coordinated efforts from law enforcement officials within a region. The law enforcement officials need to operate in an environment which is conducive to collaborative law enforcement which is usually provided for by a political agreement that provides an institutional umbrella for information exchange, harmonised legislation and joint operations.

Investigation skills

The improvement of investigations skills is critical for the improvement of safety and security in society, especially given that crime investigation is the only way that crime is solved and the criminal can be brought to justice. Crime investigators require both knowledge and skills to undertake investigations. Both the work conditions and work over load place strain upon investigating officers, combined with the inadequate skills training, undermine police investigation performance. In addition to this with the emergence of new crime modalities especially those based on new electronic technologies there needs to be renewed efforts placed on the development of investigation skills.

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