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Officials in the Worcester police cluster received accolades for their extraordinary performances in several different categories of policing.

The prestige awards ceremony was hosted by Worcester cluster commander Major General Nomthetheleli Mene at the De Dooms Wine Cellar.

The event was also attended by deputy provincial commissioners, the department of community safety and all the Community Police Forums in the Worcester cluster.

The award for an operational group of the year went to the Crime Prevention Unit from Worcester for their overall performance during the 2017-‘l 8 financial years.

“The station received numerous certificates from the provincial commissioner for the most arrests in connection with the 17 community priority crimes,” says local police spokesperson, Capt Lindikhaya Mkhontwana.

Worcester was rated number one in the Worcester cluster and Western Cape respectively, he says.

The award was received by the head of the Crime Prevention Unit in Worcester, WO Collen Kustoor.

WO Arthur Wiese and Const Lizelle Heyns, sector managers of Avian Park, received the award for sector manager of the year. “These members are sector managers in the most problematic sector in Worcester, Avian Park. During the year, information was received from the informant of Const Heyns about firearms in the sector,” says Mkhontwana.

During the rise in extreme violence in Avian Park, these sector managers were able to identify several houses which were unlawfully occupied by gangsters for drug smuggling. They were reported to the local municipality and as a result, all these houses were given back to their lawful owners.

“They also established a walking bus project with the assistance of Western Cape Community Safety and the local municipality.”

Const Johan Saayman of Worcester won the detective of the year award.

“During the past year he obtained two convictions of life sentences in two separate cases which he investigated,” says Mkhontwana.

Touwsriver walked away with the most improved station of the year award. For the past year, Touwsriver achieved an overall performance which enabled them to become number two in the Worcester cluster and number six in the Western Cape.

“Both their detective unit and crime prevention unit achieved an overall performance award,” adds Mkhontwana.

Their award was received by Capt Zanoxolo Ntswaxa, station commander of Touwsriver.

Reservist Constable Abraham Pieterse of Rawsonville won the reservist of the year award. During the past year, he worked more than the required hours.

“When there was a shortage of members this reservist never hesitated to report for duty to assist the shift on duty,” says Mkhontwana.

Source: Worcester Standard News