A drunk driver nearly crashed into the law, a resident found a warm place to stash drugs, and arrests continue to increase while calls to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) nearly doubled.
The City’s enforcement departments made 307 arrests this past week, which means 100 more than last week.
Earlier this morning at 02:35, Metro Police officers were on patrol in Milnerton when a vehicle narrowly missed colliding with them.
The officers pulled the vehicle over and during the interview discovered the 39-year-old driver was under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and taken to Milnerton police station.
He was one of 65 drivers arrested by the City’s enforcement agencies in the past week for drunk driving.
‘Drivers who literally gamble with their lives and that of everyone else on the road, are bound to be stopped one way or another. Every weekend our officers take them off the road, and I make a plea for responsible driving which seems to fall on deaf ears.
‘The family and friends of motorists who get behind the wheel inebriated need to step up. Don’t allow a loved one to drive drunk. Being arrested for drunk driving is not a badge of honour. It is a dark mark against your name at best,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
In Eerste River, vigilant Metro Police officers discovered a resident’s drug stash on Saturday, 21 January during a joint search warrant operation with the South African Police Service.
While searching a house during the operation, parts of a food warmer fell and when the officers tried to reassemble it, they noticed a loose screw.
When it was removed, a bundle of money and drugs fell out.
The officers confiscated 50 Mandrax tablets, 18 Tik Lollies, two scales, 100 empty Tik sachets and R15 500 in cash. The 54-year-old homeowner was arrested for the possession of drugs and detained at Kleinvlei police station.
Also on Saturday, officers attached to the Tactical Response Unit and Gang and Drug Task Team, arrested three suspects for the possession of drugs in the Tafelsig area.
Officers were conducting crime prevention patrols when they spotted two men acting suspicious and when they were searched, the officers found 15 bankies Tik in the possession of one man and seven bankies of Tik on the other.
While the officers were arresting the two, they noticed a motorcyclist passing them looking nervous.
They gave chase when the driver stopped and ran into another property.
He was caught and officers found 60 stoppe dagga, 26 medium dagga parcels and two carrier bags of dagga in his possession.
All three suspects, aged 34, 21 and 53, were arrested for the possession of drugs.
PUBLIC EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION CENTRE (PECC)
The PECC received 2 086 calls over the past weekend, compared to 1 557 the previous weekend.
Domestic violence calls more than doubled week on week – 58 this weekend compared to 24, while incidents of assault increased to 113 compared to 78.
TRAFFIC SERVICE
A total of 29 529 speeding offences were recorded, and 29 610 fines were issued for various traffic violations.
In total, 182 public transport vehicles were impounded and 1 609 warrants of arrest were executed.
Traffic officers arrested 81 suspects, of which 56 were for driving under the influence of alcohol and 25 for reckless and negligent driving.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
During the past week, the City’s Law Enforcement Department officers made 155 arrests.
Officers attached to the Law Enforcement Advancement Programme (LEAP) made 137 of the total arrests.
Residents are reminded to phone 021 480 77 00 from a cell phone and 107 from a landline to report any criminal activity or emergency.
Source: City Of Cape Town