SAPS Victim Empowerment Program
The Department of Community Safety, South African Police Service (SAPS) and Community Police Forums (CPF’s) work in partnership and play a central role in developing the Community Based Victim Support Programme and established victim friendly facilities and volunteer networks at all police stations. The Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) works in partnership with non-Governmental departments (NGO’s) and Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) to improve services to victims of crime and violence.
The purpose of this programme is to assist all victims of crime and violence to cope and deal with their traumatic experiences and circumstances. This service is the initial point of entry into the criminal justice system and in the majority of cases is therefore responsible for ensuring that the victims of crime are provided with an effective victim-friendly service. Provincial Visible Policing is responsible for managing, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the VEP in the Western Cape Province. This is a voluntary service offered to all residents in the Durbanville, Morningstar and Fisantekraal areas. A team of dedicated volunteers work on a 24Hr (365 days) standby roster and offer their personal time, resources and support to victims of crime. This team is often exposed to horrific crime scenes and many times need to provide people with the basic essentials like food, clothes and toiletries.
Multi Quantity Surveyors donated money to the SAPS Victim Empowerment Program which enabled them to kit their VEP team with much needed high visibility jackets which will now be worn as their official VEP uniform.
