The City of Cape Town has reported an increase in the amount of drugs confiscated, due partly to its highly-trained ‘K9’ crime-fighting dog unit.
The city recently added four dogs to the 12-member K9 unit, which was formed in 2009 ahead of the Fifa World Cup. The dogs are trained to detect narcotics and explosives, and can also search for missing people.
“It really is something to watch our K9s in action,” JP Smith, the city’s executive head of safety and security, said on Sunday.
“They have added so much value to our fight against crime, and the drug trade in particular, over the past 15 years, and I look forward to seeing how the new recruits acquit themselves.
“They have big paws to fill, when you consider the likes of Savage, Troy and Xena, who were just a few of the legendary K9s in our kennels over the years,” Smith said.
Smiths said apart from their crime-fighting abilities, these dogs were among the best brand ambassadors, and were instrumental in building relationships between the enforcement services and communities.
Between July 2023 and March 31 2024 the city’s metro police and law enforcement departments witnessed a marked increase in the amount of drugs confiscated.
Arrests by both departments increased from 7,494 to 9,328 in the past financial year compared with the previous year.
Units of drugs confiscated increased from 48,178 to 69,852 in the same period.
TimesLIVE
Cape Town's 'paw patrol' plays key role in increase in drug seizures
Image: SAPS
The City of Cape Town has reported an increase in the amount of drugs confiscated, due partly to its highly-trained ‘K9’ crime-fighting dog unit.
The city recently added four dogs to the 12-member K9 unit, which was formed in 2009 ahead of the Fifa World Cup. The dogs are trained to detect narcotics and explosives, and can also search for missing people.
“It really is something to watch our K9s in action,” JP Smith, the city’s executive head of safety and security, said on Sunday.
“They have added so much value to our fight against crime, and the drug trade in particular, over the past 15 years, and I look forward to seeing how the new recruits acquit themselves.
“They have big paws to fill, when you consider the likes of Savage, Troy and Xena, who were just a few of the legendary K9s in our kennels over the years,” Smith said.
Smiths said apart from their crime-fighting abilities, these dogs were among the best brand ambassadors, and were instrumental in building relationships between the enforcement services and communities.
Between July 2023 and March 31 2024 the city’s metro police and law enforcement departments witnessed a marked increase in the amount of drugs confiscated.
Arrests by both departments increased from 7,494 to 9,328 in the past financial year compared with the previous year.
Units of drugs confiscated increased from 48,178 to 69,852 in the same period.
TimesLIVE
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