CAPTAIN CRIME STOP SWOOPS ON SCHOOLS

If you're six years old, then you believe that Captain Crime Stop can fly
just like Superman and that its no fun to sniff glue just because it makes
you feel good.

Ettienne Marais, provincial projects co-ordinator for the Western Cape
Crime Projects uses the first belief to counter the second.

He has been involved in the Captain Crime Stop programme since 1994, and
together with eight other teams he visits schools around the province,
teaching pupils aged between five and nine about personal safety and how to
say no to drugs. (His Crime-Projects team also puts up static exhibitions
about police services at expositions, shopping malls or conventions on
request).

During a Captain Crime Stop visit, pupils also learn about how to report
crimes and how to deal with peer pressure.

"We act as a link to try and build a bridge between the children and the
police," said Marais. "The smaller children really listen to everything
that Captain Crime Stop says.

"Children from less advantaged areas are more receptive to the message than
children from more advantaged areas. For the children in the more affluent
areas, it's just entertainment whereas the ones in the poorer areas seem to
want the information and listen more attentively."

"Cape Town is the drug using centre in South Africa. The most commonly used
drug is dagga, followed closely by mandrax. Glue sniffing is also very
popular among the younger kids."

Pupils older than 10 who are less likely to believe in a supercop dressed
in a costume are targeted through the Adopt-a-Cop programme. Through this
programme schools adopt a police officer who becomes their liaison with
local officers as well as a source of information.

Older pupils are taught about the dangers of hard drugs, firearm safety,
about making choices, cults and the link between drugs and HIV/Aids.

One of the problems he runs into is a lack of co-operation from the
administrators of the schools who often deny that they could have a drug
presence in their schools.

"Almost a quarter of the schools we approach say they don't need our help."

Then there are the schools that place restrictions on the team, limiting
the information they can give the pupils or severely limiting the amount of
time they can spend with the children.

"Just how much can you tell them in 20 minutes," asked Marais.

Marais would like to see a system put in place to accredit the various
organisations and individuals who offer drug awareness programmes at schools.

"Schools will pay good money to people to come and talk about drugs.

"I've heard of this guy who takes out his tobacco and shows pupils how to
pack and smoke a white pipe. This is not very helpful," said Marais.

"There need to be rules explaining what they can and cannot do."