CRIME OPERATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE RAPID RAIL POLICE UNIT IN THE WESTERN CAPE RAIL ENVIRONMENT

Irene Rashida January¹, Jacob Tseko Mofokeng²*
¹ Inspector, Ms, South African Police Service, Irenejanuary@yahoo.com
² Prof, Dr., Tshwane University of Technology, mofokengjt@tut.ac.za
* Corresponding Author

Abstract
This paper interrogates the operational aspects of the Western Cape Rapid Rail Police Unit (RRPU) in the Western Cape railway environment. Specific attention is given to the crime operations executed by the unit, the cooperation of the unit with other relevant stakeholders and the application of crime prevention theories in the Western Cape railway environment. The research was executed in the Rapid Rail Unit of the Western Cape Province on a qualitative research methodology. This study followed a qualitative approach utilising a semi-structured interviews to gather relevant data. For the purpose of this study, the non-probability sampling based on the purposive method was used to select the twenty (20) research participants that were obtained from two Senior Managers, two Middle Managers, two junior managers, six non-commissioned officers, two officials of Cape Town Central Police station, three officials of PRASA Western Cape Province, one retired member of the former Railway Police, one member of the CPF and one regular train commuter participated in this study. The findings firstly indicated that the RRPU in the Western Cape does not properly apply crime prevention operations. Secondly, RRPU in the Western Cape does not implement or considers the crime prevention theories, and thirdly, the Unit is not cooperating with stakeholders in the environment as well as, not focusing on crime in the railway environment in the Western Cape Province. This paper also highlights additional problems affecting the operational performance of the Unit in the environment and attempts to provide solutions to overcome the aspects which influence the effectiveness of the RRPU in the Western Cape railway environment.

Keywords: Crime prevention, police, railway