The Department of Safety, Security and Liaison, in collaboration with the Department of Education, launched a joint venture last Thursday whereby one police officer is posted at each school as a way of fighting crime.

The initiative is aimed at fighting contact crime among pupils during and after lessons in all Limpopo schools.

Speaking at a press conference that was held in Polokwane, the new MEC for Safety, Security and Liaison, Dikeledi Magadzi, announced she would allocate a cop to every school in the province, including those that had no crime statistics before.

“They will search pupils if they suspect they have dangerous weapons or drugs, guard the schools and educate children about the advantages of having a crime-free environment at our schools and society,” Magadzi said.

According to Magadzi, police officers will also be available on a toll-free number, 0800 546767, every day.

“The province has a total of 12 561 police officers and a quarter of them will be deployed to 4 015 primary and secondary schools,” she said.

Meanwhile, the provincial Department of Education spokesperson, Mr Ndo Mangala, added that the move to teach children about crime in their schools was one in the right direction.

This comes after a report that young boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17 constituted the majority of those committing crimes inside or outside school premises. The report was submitted to the Education Department and the South African Police Service in the province.

Ms Magadzi indicated that the move would not deter the police from focusing on community work, but rather reinforce their efforts in fighting crime in communities and schools where juvenile delinquency and contact crime were embedded.