South Africans say a visible police presence, followed by a faster response, would do most to increase their trust in the police. This policy brief argues that the South African Police Service (SAPS) should treat visible presence as a service in its own right, which is planned, delivered and reviewed alongside other duties. Better use of crime and deployment data can direct scarce capacity to where and when it is most needed. More presence everywhere is not the answer.
About the author
Dr Anine Kriegler is a Senior Researcher in the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies.
