Making a difference!
2018 has been a productive year for KSS with our ever-alert Operations staff apprehending over 71 criminals so far. This is 60% higher than 2017 for the same period. There are a number of contributing factors that include more community participation and communication in terms of reporting suspicious people or vehicles. Thank you, clients, friends, supporters and the community at large! Together we can make a difference.
Reporting incidents
Please report incidents and suspicious vehicles / persons directly to your security service provider so that we can take prompt action. Please note that WhatsApp is not a formal means of dispatching a security service provider or SAPS. Please respect this protocol and don’t place the lives of community citizens in danger by expecting them to respond. The KSS 24/7 Control Room contact number is 033 330 5911.
Crime scene management
Evidence collected and analysed at the scene of a crime can make or break a case. Please be very careful and allow HAWKS, SAPS Officers and other security professionals to follow their procedures. I found this useful information on http://www.securitysa.com/7310r.
Initial actions at the scene of a crime:
1. Safety
The most import things to remember are saving life and treating the injured.
2. Security
Once this has been achieved, the next aim is to secure the crime scene to safeguard property and preserve evidence to aid an investigation and the identification of those responsible.
• An area should always be treated as a crime scene until decided otherwise.
• The scene should be cordoned off as widely as is reasonably possible.
• Evidence is not always visible and can only be preserved by effective scene management, including applying the following basic rules:
– Minimise access to the entire area.
– Do not walk in the cordoned off area.
– Avoid touching or handling anything.
– Do not clean anything.
– Do not throw anything away.
This can be best achieved by making scene preservation the specific role of one person: a family member or friend, a security officer or a police officer.
Keep a record of all persons entering and leaving the cordoned off area and the scene, their purpose and any action(s) taken by them.
Scene preservation should be maintained until fully examined by a police crime scene investigator or advised by the most senior police officer present.
3. Stability
Once it is possible to re-enter the scene, the clear-up operation can begin, including:
• Securing valuable property.
• Arranging to secure the premises, replacing and repairing doors, windows and locks.
• Calling in specialist cleaners or removing items that require specialised cleaning or disposal.
• Cleaning and tidying other items of property and marks left during the crime scene examination.
• Replacing or repairing missing or damaged items.
News supplied by Knight Security Solutions.