The Police Operation ACT was launched 12 days ago - and while there are no statistics to say it has been an overwhelming success - it is still being tweaked.
Over the weekend we learned that there had been a major shift. Instead of mixing up officers from the various units at the different command posts, namely the GSU, the SPU, the SAT, the MIT, the K9 and the ANU, the Commander decided to deploy the units independently to the different areas.
It may sound like a minor administrative tweak, but the cops on the ground say that it creates a policing disadvantage because the units from outside the city, namely the MIT, the SPU, and K9 and the ANU, are not as familiar with the players in the gang wars. That's because they are not in the gang areas everyday like the GSU, and the SAT.
On Monday, the southside commander rejected that reasoning by simply saying it's not so:...
Sr. Supt Marco Vidal- Commander, Southside
"I think that in fact it has boosted the operations as we started. The current situation is that all the officers are aware of who the players are. It is not exclusive to one unit, it is all units that are aware who the players are and they are fully aware what is required from them. So, actually it is quite the opposite. It is not that it will diminish in terms of its effectiveness but rather it will only boost the effectiveness of the operational units."
Police say a press conference is being organized for next week to inform the public about the progress of Operation ACT and the impact it has had in the communities.
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