Here to combat crime
2011-06-09
Lise Beyers
ALCOHOL and drugs are the major cause of crime in the area. So says Brigadier Deon Hagen, the new cluster commander for the police in Wellington, Paarl East, Mbekweni, Malmesbury, Riebeek West and Philadelphia. He is stationed at Paarl East police station. Hagen is a direct link between local police stations and the provincial police headquarters, striving to tackle crime in the area. Hagen is no stranger in Paarl, having lived here since 2000, when he was stationed at the area command. But he has definitely been round the block, having worked in amongst others Worcester, Stellenbosch, Mitchell’s Plain and Bellville. At the area-office he was head of visible policing and today he is still adamant that visible policing pays off. But his current target is tackling alcohol and drug abuse which can be directly linked to most crimes. “The abuse of these substances leads to murders, rape, assault and burglary. “We have to stop the root of this, which is illegal shebeens, and the community needs to be educated about this problem.” Hagen also said that it is very important that the public becomes involved in combating crime, by assisting the police by being their eyes and ears. “We make many successful arrests due to information which has been passed on to us via the public. “A police force is just as good as the community which it serves. We thus rely on the community’s help.” He encourages the public to support their sector policing units and to attend the monthly community policing forums. Hagen has also called upon the public to report any incidents of police corruption to him. “This has to be stamped out in its entirety.” He can be contacted at 021 877 5900.
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