JMPD unveils specialised vehicles to enhance safety

20 July 2016

 

The City of Johannesburg on Tuesday July 19 unveiled four new specialised vehicles to strengthen its public safety initiatives.

 

The procurement of the four state-of-the-art vehicles was described by Johannesburg Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau at a media briefing at the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) headquarters in Martindale as “democracy in action”.

The vehicles’ acquisition, the Mayor said, followed a request for a mobile JMPD unit by Alexandra residents at an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meeting recently. Also present at the news briefing was Member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety Cllr Sello Lemao.

The vehicles – two to serve as command posts or command centres and the other two to be used for riot control – were acquired from manufacturer Eqstra Fleet Management for R27.16-million. The vehicles can be deployed in tandem or on their own in any given situation, according to JMPD Chief Superintendent Edna Mamonyane.

The vehicles’ features include thermal imaging cameras with a 200m range, high-definition four-channel cameras, a public address system, rotating police lights with a 200m vision, and a front dozer to remove obstacles.

Mamonyane said the riot control vehicles were fully armoured and fitted with a 38mm resistor glass and gun ports through which tear gas, rubber or plastic bullets and bean bag rounds could be dispatched. They have the capacity to carry 12 people and travel at 80km/h. The mobile command centres are equipped with computers, cameras, a mini boardroom, scanner and printer. Mamonyane said their main purpose was to serve as onsite mobile command zones in the event of fires, floods and environmental disasters. 

Mayor Tau said: “Today we witness the capability of the command centres to enhance the safety of our communities to enable them to live their daily lives without any fear.

“I was told that these cameras can detect a suspect hiding behind a wall or in the bush. It is very important that police are able to monitor those who instigate violence in protest marches, particularly in instances where there is loss of life and damage to property.”

MMC Lemao said the City was continuously improving its abilities and implementing new and creative ways to make Johannesburg a safe city to live, work and play in.

“There is no doubt that in the next term, through the Joburg 10-Plus Community Policing Model, we will close the space further for criminals and enhance our residents’ compliance with the by-laws,” he said.