Rapid response for children in need
2007-03-01
A CHILD Rapid Response Unit (CRRU) is on the books for Drakenstein as a pilot study from the Department of Community Safety (DOC).
In a briefing session in Paarl, it was mentioned that there is no joint co-ordination between the SA Police Service and the community, and therefore the CRRU project.
The aim with the CRRU is to ensure a rapid and organised response to missing children, to supplement police response and to integrate police, volunteers and social workers.
Furthermore, they want to promote awareness and safety of children, as well as to reduce incidents of missing children, abuses and
deaths.
Roleplayers will be the police, assisted by the community police forums, neighbourhood watches, NGO’s, social workers and family of the missing child.
The units will be situated at police stations and each unit will appoint a team leader.
When a child is missing, the nearest unit will be called to assist. The unit will assist actively with the search and getting information from the community.
A Joint Operational Centre (JOC) is to be formed at each police station by the station commissioner, the responsible police official, the DOC official and team leader of the unit.
JOC must activate the Child Rapid Response Unit to alert and mobilise the community.
JOC is also responsible to facilitate and manage briefings and debriefings.
The meeting felt that prompt action and training are needed, as well as empathy of policemen, and sensitising of police about domestic violence and abuse. Church leaders must be involved, and women and children empowered.
They also see a need to open more sexual offences courts with selected magistrates with multi-disciplinary skills to deal with abused children in court.
Local inquiries can be directed to the co-ordinator, Dumisani Mziki at 021-483-6594.
More
News
|
