1. Portfolio Committee on Police METRO POLICE
7 SEPTEMBER 2016

2. Introduction
The Municipal Police is established in terms of Section 206 (7) of the South African Constitution and section 64(E) of the South African Police Services Act.
Section 64A of the South African Police Service Act 68 of 1995 reads:
Any municipality may in the prescribed manner apply to the Member of the Executive Council for the establishment of a municipal police service for its area of jurisdiction.”
Section 64L of the SAPS Act states that the National Commissioner may determine national standards of policing for municipal police services and, in addition to the training prescribed for traffic officers in terms of the Road Traffic Act, 1989 (Act 29 of 1989 ), determine national standards with regard to the training of members of municipal police services. 2

3. Establishment of the Municipal Police
Section 205 (1) provides for the structuring of the police at national, provincial and where appropriate, local level of government:
The national police service must be structured to function in the national, provincial and, where appropriate, local spheres of government.
The municipalities that want to establish a municipal police service has to in terms of the SAPS Act (As amended) apply to the Member of the Executive Council in terms of Section 64(A) (1) of the South African Police Service Amendment Act (83 of ). 3

4. Establishment Continued…
The MEC must satisfy him/herself that:
a) the application complies with the prescribed requirements;
b) the municipality has the resources at its disposal to provide for a municipal police service which complies with national standards on a 24-hour basis;
c) traffic policing services by the municipality will not be prejudicially affected by the establishment of a municipal police service;
d) proper provision has been made by the municipality to ensure civilian supervision of the municipal police service; and
e) the establishment of the municipal police service will improve effective policing in that part of the province. 4

5. Functions of the Municipal Police
According to Section 64E of the SAPS Act, the functions of a municipal police service are:
• traffic policing, subject to any legislation relating to road traffic;
• the policing of municipal by-laws and regulations which are the responsibility of the municipality in question; and
• the prevention of crime. 5

6. Established Metro Police Services
Johannesburg Metro Police
Cape Town Metro Police
EThekwini Metro Police
Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Police
Tshwane Metro Police
Ekurhuleni Metro Police 6

7. Policy Areas
The White Paper on Policing makes clear that while the Constitution provides for a Single Police Service (s199), it does not foresee the wholesale usurping of the powers of Municipalities.
Streamlining the delivery of essential policing services particularly at a local level hinges on the establishment of an institutionalised structure at a national level that will facilitate collaboration and ensure implementation and compliance with agreed uniform national standards for discipline and training among others.
This model of integrated policing does not advocate usurping the powers and functions of municipalities through the wholesale integration of Metropolitan Police Services into the SAPS. Rather, it is geared toward ensuring the overall operational command of the service, deepen effective oversight of the MPS and enable an optimal utilisation of public resources. Ultimately, greater emphasis must be placed on maximising the utilisation of law enforcement resources for effective and efficient policing. 7

8. Training
Section 64L of the SAPS Act states that the National Commissioner may determine national standards of policing for municipal police services and, in addition to the training prescribed for traffic officers in terms of the Road Traffic Act, (Act 29 of 1989 ), determine national standards with regard to the training of members of municipal police services.
The Committee should also probe in what areas there is joint training of members of the Metro police and the SAPS.
Other areas of training should be considered with respect to joint operational planning and management of joint operations etc. Training in all aspects of observing the law and human rights must also be a consideration between the SAPS and the Metro Police. 8

9. Levels of Co-operation
The Committee should enquire into a number of matters relating to the levels of co-operation between the SAPS and the Metro Police. The levels of co-operation between the SAPS and the Metro Police services should be examined with respect to a number of Service Levels Agreements signed by the SAPS National Commissioner and the Head of the Metro Police Service.
Question
In terms of section 64 C (2)(g) of the SAPS Act (as amended , ), the Annual Police Plan must be developed by the Executive Head of the Municipal Police Service, after consultation with the Provincial Commissioner. Has the Metro Police Annual Police Plan been approved and signed off by the Provincial Commissioner? 9

10. National Policing Standards
The National Commissioner has developed National Standards on the following for the Metro Police:
Domestic Violence
Crowd Management
MPS Arrest
Management of crime scenes
Occurrence Books
Pocket Books
Standard Forms and registers 10

11. Conclusion The Committee should probe the following areas: Training
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Conclusion
The Committee should probe the following areas:
Training
Co-operation and joint operational collaboration
Police brutality and civilian oversight over the police
Crowd management
Specialised Units
Intelligence gathering 11

12. Questions? 12