FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE IN PREVENTION AND COMBATING OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN A SOUTH AFRICAN TOWNSHIP

Year 2017, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 49 - 64, 01.06.2017

Petrus Machethe Emeka E. Obioha

Abstract

This paper focused on the functional strategies and initiatives taken by South
African Police Service (SAPS) towards prevention and combating of substance
abuse in a South African Township. The study made use of mainly quantitative
(survey) method to collect relevant data from 80 participants who were selected
from the SAPS, local churches, Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
community members. The findings of this study indicate an array of strategies in
use. Police regular conduct of stop and search in certain sectors than others,
regular patrols, use of reliable volunteer informants (informants), secret detection,
tracking and investigation, sharing of crime information tips and education of
public, and police partnership with civil organisations were revealed as the
sustaining strategies by the SAPS. Critical analysis of these strategies in the study
revealed a mixed bag of functionality. Pragmatic suggestions to improve on the
lagging strategies were made by this study.

Keywords

Strategies, Police, Civil organisations, drug abuse, South Africa