Untitled - Saps

sentences for illegal possession and other offences. In November 1999, the Firearms
Control Bill was published for public information.
• In September 1999, bilateral extradition and mutual legal assistance treaties were signed
between South Africa and the US in Washington that would expand co-operation
between the two countries in dealing with crime and narcotics. Under the treaties, the
two countries agreed to extradite persons charged with or convicted of an extraditable
offence. A condition is that it should be punishable under the laws of both states by a jail
sentence of at least one year.
• The National Commissioner’s Annual Police Plan was submitted to Cabinet. The
policing operational priorities for 1999/00 were to -
- curb violent crimes committed with firearms by increasing the clearance rate on
firearms and improving firearms and ammunition control;
- decrease the number of criminal organizations by improving intelligence and
improving the measures aimed at curbing their activities;
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- improve the quality of service to women and children as victims of crime by enforcing
the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 and improving multidisciplinary co-operation to
combat crimes against women and children;
- decrease corruption within the SAPS by increasing detection and limiting
opportunities;
- increase targeted crime prevention through increased visible policing, developing
sector policing, gathering proactive crime intelligence and improving crime analysis
abilities and service delivery improvement programmes; and
- improve criminal investigation by increasing the number of detectives, their
competencies and utilization.
• The SAPS identified all crimes against women and children as one of its five operational
priorities for 1999/2000. Specific measures aimed at better rape investigation included
the training of SAPS members in sexual offences investigation techniques and the
establishment of units dealing with family violence, child protection and sexual
offences.
• The national crime operation code-named Monozite was launched in July 1999. The
main aim of the operation, which was extended to the end of March 2000, was to clamp
down on crime in crime-related flash-point areas throughout the country by means
of high-density intelligence-driven operations. The objective of the operation was to
stabilize the affected areas and to ensure a greater feeling of safety and security amongst
the communities.
Dog Services and the Mounted Unit play a vital role in policing