South Africa
SAPS considering six new specialised units including hostage negotiation─── 16:41 Tue, 17 May 2022
The South African Police Service is considering the creation of six new specialised policing units, including moving two established units into primary functions.
Responding to a parliamentary Q&A, police minister Bheki Cele said that work studies are currently underway to determine the feasibility of the units.
Business Tech reports that the units under consideration are a motorbike capability, highway patrol, illicit mining capability, an economic infrastructure unit, water policing and diving services and hostage negotiation.
According to Cele, in addition to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – known as the Hawks – South Africa has 16 special policing units operating on the national level, and 22 special units operating on a provincial level.
He said the new proposed units will also operate on a provincial level.
