To Decal Or Not To Decal

For a long time now I’ve not put decals or any other NW identification on my vehicle when I’m on NW duty. An event some time ago in Constantia where a SSP armed response officer was shot and a large restaurant was robbed 20 minutes later had me thinking rightly or wrongly, that the mysterious shooting of the AR officer may have been a deliberate diversion created to open a window for the later robbery.

Even if the events were not linked, the shooting of an AR officer or an on duty NW patroller will inevitably draw an immediate response from SAPS, all SSP’s and NW patrollers and concentrate them all in one place allowing criminals space to hit and run elsewhere.

I notice Constantia NW patrollers with decals and flashing orange lights and the message it sends to criminals is clear. Simply duck out of sight until the vehicle has passed and get on with crime as they are on a loop and will only return once the loop is complete. At night criminals can see these vehicles even before they come around the bend!

A recent robbery up country saw two NW members shot when (it is thought) they were seen to be using radios to report the robbery or responding to the robbery using a radio. These are not the confirmed facts but I think the point is, keep a low profile and you may be much safer. After many patrols and bumping into regular baddies, the baddies get to know the patrollers. Don’t for one moment think a “Tikop” is or ever will be scared by a NW patroller.

From a resident: Oh so true – when we were doing ‘block watch’ in Randburg [this was about 25 years ago!!!], the cops first asked us to use magnetic signs – after one car was specially targeted to get the radio [we used a police radio for duty] they made two changes: 1 – no signs 2 – report in every half hour or they came to look for you.