PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - Colonel Anna May's turn of duty as the new SAPS station commander of Plettenberg Bay has been an eye-opener.
On 14 January one of her first major tasks was to attend the scene of a panga attack on an elderly couple in Challenge Drive shortly after 17:30.
Plett has not been known as a crime hot spot and the attack, vividly captured on CCVTV, shocked the entire community.
It was due to her inherent concern for the wellbeing of the community she serves that she visited the 74 year-old man and his 73 year-old wife in hospital.
'We care for everyone'
"We in the SAPS care for everyone… and I wanted to show them we are there for them," said May.
Fortunately the couple's wounds from the panga and knife attack have healed - and a 27-year-old suspect has been arrested and has appeared in court, thanks to the involvement of the local Qolweni Crime Forum.
It is this kind of cooperation that May is hoping to entrench in Plett.
"There is nothing we cannot do," she says.
Community involvement
Her goals for the Plett SAPS are to extend its community involvement, work on victim empowerment and get all stakeholders involved in the fight against crime.
She would also like to hone the informer network to nip crime in the bud at source.
May is the mother of adult children and has served mostly in police stations in the Garden Route and Oudtshoorn districts - apart from a stint as station commander at Kleinmond in the Overberg.
She served as acting station commander at Conville, George, before coming to Plett.
'Joined force to help people'
"I joined the police force to help people. I grew up in Oudtshoorn when gender-based violence was still referred to as 'huismoles.'"
As a young policewoman she lent an ear to the problems within the community and has continued with this approach throughout her rise through the ranks.
May joined the police on 9 October 1990 and has more than 34 years' policing experience.
Recent achievement
One of her most recent achievements, which she speaks about proudly, is providing information to a grieving relative who had encountered a problem with accessing the details around the death of a relative in an accident in a remote part of the Free State.
"I was able, through intervention with the remote police station, to give the family all the information they needed about the death of their loved one.
"This enabled the family to arrange for the necessary ceremony it required and gave them closure…"
Added May: " My door is always open."
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