Community
safety groups in the Helderberg basin do incredible work in keeping the
community safe. So says a community operations manager deployed to the area,
who says the involvement of communities make it easier for officers like him to
be deployed in an effective and efficient manner.
We
sat down with John Philander recently. This married father of three lives in
the Winelands and works at Fidelity ADT as their community operations manager
for the Helderberg basin.
How
long have you worked in the armed response and security industry? What is it
about the sector that attracted you?
I
have 29 years of experience in the security industry. I have been with Fidelity
ADT for about seven years. What attracted me is the knowledge that our
communities are heavily burdened by crime and I knew that getting actively
involved would definitely create the opportunity to address these crime related
issues.
What
geographical area falls under your control? What work or responsibilities take
up most of your day?
I
am functioning in and managing the whole Helderberg Basin that includes Strand
, Somerset West , Sir Lowries Pass and Gordon’s Bay.
My
day entails arranging and conducting community-based crime prevention
operations. There are also a lot of very varied but important meetings and
engagements with local organisations and stakeholders, such as Law Enforcement,
Neighbourhood Watches, CPFs, and the SAPS. These meetings help coordinate
overall response to crime trends and issues in the area.
What
is the biggest security challenge for the area you work in?
I
would mention vehicle theft, break-ins, and house invasions.
What
can the public in this area do, to help make your and your team’s work easier?
I
must commend the efforts of the different neighbourhood watches with their
active patrollers and block watch communities. These efforts are really helping
in alerting us about suspects and suspicious activities and we can act
accordingly.
These
efforts are appreciated and encouraged.
How
do you relax at the end of the day?
It
depends on what happened that specific day, if it was very hectic I would find
myself walking my dogs or jogging. Normally it entails just spending time
with my loved ones.
