Learner cop Commissioner Samson Zitha busy helping a client at Schoemansdal police station.

The “learner cop” concept is a program whereby learners, as junior commissioners are working in partnership with police stations to minimize criminal activities in school premises.

The learner cop concept has been advocated by the MEC of safety and security, Fish Mahlalela, as a response to the looming spectre of criminal activities such as rape, drugs and substances abuse at schools.

“As part of this concept ,we have installed crime information boxes which will enable the school community to report criminal activities taking place at school or the residences.
We aim to be proactive, thereby thinking ahead of the criminal and striking before they do” said” Mahlalela.

He also indicated that the concept is further being aided by SAPS provincial policing strategy, “the Africa concept”, whose aim is to decentralize resources to local stations in an effort to enhance the combating of crime.

Learner cops from allover the province teamed up with their counterpart from the other provinces to find ways of dealing with crime in the school environment.

Despite the concept being in existence for only a few months, it has been reported to have been yielding positive results.

In some schools the learner cops have discovered a number of stolen items such as cell phones and the smuggling of weapons in the school premises.

Learners from schools in Schoemansdal, Witbank, Feni, Mbalenhle and Hezyview policing areas were part of the junior commissioner conference.