Sector Policing on the West Rand, Three Case Studies

This research paper examines the implementation of sector policing on the West Rand following a 2003 Draft National Instruction by SAPS National Commissioner Jackie Selebi. The study focuses on three station precincts—Randfontein, Roodepoort, and Kagiso—analyzing how the region transitioned from centralized capacities to decentralized sub-precinct sectors incorporating community policing (COP) and problem-oriented policing (POP). While the document notes successes in targeted patrolling and risk factor identification, it highlights challenges regarding the effectiveness of Sector Crime Forums, the policing of illegal shebeens, and the personalization of conflicts between officers and offenders.

• Sector policing is described as an eclectic composite that integrates community policing (COP), which mobilizes civilians for crime prevention, and problem-oriented policing (POP), which manages the causes of micro-crime patterns. It also typically incorporates risk factor identification and targeted patrolling.
• The implementation of sector policing on the West Rand involved an ambitious decentralization process where centralized capacities of station precincts were stripped and redistributed into sub-precinct sectors.
• Three factors contributed to the successful adaptation of police organization and culture to sector policing on the West Rand: the recruitment of new officers with no prior policing experience to unlearn, increased resources and managerial support for veteran middle-ranking officers, and enthusiastic adoption by area management.
• Successful implementation of rudimentary sector policing elements is evident in the shift from random to targeted patrolling, the transformation of hotspots into specific crime patterns, and the ability of officers to partner with civilians and other state agencies to address crime-inducing features.
• The study identified several recurring problems: some Sector Crime Forums (SCFs) function poorly due to social diversity or civilian alienation; police culture struggles to apply problem-oriented policing to illegal shebeens; and the personalization of relationships between officers and offenders has led to mutual escalation in some cases.

APA

Steinberg, J. (n.d.). Sector Policing on the West Rand, Three Case Studies. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-110-sector-policing-on-the-west-rand-three-case-studies-jonny-steinberg

Chicago

Steinberg, Jonny. Sector Policing on the West Rand, Three Case Studies. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-110-sector-policing-on-the-west-rand-three-case-studies-jonny-steinberg.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Steinberg |first1=Jonny |title=Sector Policing on the West Rand, Three Case Studies |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-110-sector-policing-on-the-west-rand-three-case-studies-jonny-steinberg |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{steinbergndsector, author = {Steinberg, Jonny}, title = {{Sector Policing on the West Rand, Three Case Studies}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-110-sector-policing-on-the-west-rand-three-case-studies-jonny-steinberg}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }