Youssef Kanouni, chairperson of Woodstock Community Policing Forum
Safety and security is a constitutional right that all citizens of the beautiful town of Woodstock in particular and all South Africans in general should enjoy.
This is one of the basic needs identified by Maslow according to his hierarchy of needs and probably the most compromised right in a modern Woodstock society.
As a community organisation affiliated to Woodstock police, our focus is to ensure that the community of Woodstock receives an uncompromising quality of service by police that would make our human assets feel safe and protected once the service has been delivered. Consequently, it is important to us that police render a service that is based on Batho Pele principles, and that people experiencing this service would really feel that they had been prioritised to receive a first-class service. The Community Service Centre (CSC), being the main contact point in the precinct for engagement with the community, needs to reflect the service as implied by Batho Pele.
In doing so police will be able to achieve the key priorities and focus areas identified in the Annual Performance Plan for 2021/2022.
This will also assist with building trust with people of the community, visitors gracing us with their presence and partners so badly needed to make policing in Woodstock.
While challenges in the Human Resources remains, and a continuously escalating populace demanding even an increase in the need for human resources to the station, we realise that strong and healthy partnerships with all community structures, would secure that we all stay afloat while meeting the needs of an already deprived community.
I would like to take the opportunity to wish the South African Police Services(SAPS) and all supporting structures well in the roll out of the 2021/2022 Annual Performance Plan (APP).
As the Woodstock Community Policing Forum (CPF), we are committed to the initial purpose of the birth of Community Police Forums and we pledge our support for SAPS yet again.
As a member of the organisation of the CPF and Community Policing Safety Forums (CPSF), we would like to thank you for your support given in the past year, and safely assume that we could continue to rely on your consistent love and support for all our endeavours.
To the CPF, CPSFS and Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) of all sectors, thank you so much for your proficiency when representing your structures wherever you need to go. You certainly demonstrate being at service to your community is an act of love.
Let us continue to support one another with tenacity to effectively implement this plan to create a safe and secure environment for all the people of Woodstock and our visitors