Community Safety Initiative
The Camps Bay Community Safety Initiative, or CBCSI, is a non-profit initiative set-up by members of the Camps Bay community to safeguard and improve the security of all residents of Camps Bay, Clifton and Bakoven. It is sometimes easier to remember our name as Camps Bay CSI.
CBCSI (Camps Bay Community Safety Initiative) is a 24 hour community response team responding to all emergencies and calls for help and bridges the gap between private security and the lack of resources of SAPS.
How CBCSI keeps you safe
Our control room operators are available 24/7 365 and respond, on average to over 1000 calls for help per month.
We will assist and coordinated with other responders for any of the following:
- All crimes
- Traffic
- Snakes
- Medical
- Fire
- Road Accidents
- Municipal problems
- Suspicious behaviour
- Domestic disturbances
- Lost animals
- Floods and mudslides
- Storms
- Drownings
- Fallen trees
- Lost property
In 2019 we launched the Buzzer App in Camps Bay and Clifton.
This sophisticated phone app gives residents a panic button on their phone which directly connects them to our Control Room (CBCSI Control) and to close by neighbours who might also be able to offer assistance in an emergency. It can also be used to report suspicious activity, or to report fire, medical and municipal incidents that require a response.
We invite anyone living or spending time in Camps Bay to download this app to their phone from the website here.
This revolutionary community safety application is being used in many areas all over South Africa. This means that this app will work in areas outside of Camps Bay, including Hout Bay, Constantia, Sea Point.
We also provide backup for Fidelity ADT and Bay Response if there is an incident at your home and we maintain security for the common areas of our suburb – streets, parks, beachfront, green areas etc that are not covered by armed response. If you see someone suspicious in the street and report this to to CBCSI Control on 021-438-2000 and CBCSI Response will be directed to the area of the incident.
CBCSI Response does visible patrolling in high crime areas. This has been shown to effectively reduce crime.
We also assist residents in specific areas to install their own street camera monitoring using the latest in artificial intelligence technology that recognises suspicious activity. CBCSI then provides the response to any alert received.
These street cameras have proven highly effective in preventing crimes before they happen and creating a deterrent for criminals as they can not pass through the area unnoticed.
CBCSI maintains a common radio network so that all resources can be coordinated. ADT, Bay Response, SAPS, Community Medics, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), CBCSI Response and CBCSI Operational Command are all on the network, as well as community members who have purchased radios.
In our monthly newsletter (a free services to all residents) we give a breakdown of all reported incidents so that our community is aware of what the current safety concern is.
When there is a serious problem in the area – fire, flood, storm, riot etc. – we will send out updates as they happen, we use radio, community WhatsApp groups, Facebook, Buzzer and Twitter and reach thousands of residents quickly. CBCSI communicates with residents and gives them up to date communication to issues that directly affect their suburb.
When there are professional scammers working in Camps Bay and Clifton, in the form of ATM fraud, “tear drop” hitch hikers, Facebook scammers, “I have no petrol”, “Gardener from next door”, etc. We know them and will warn the community of their presence when they are in Camps Bay and Clifton through our Facebook page, Buzzer or WhatsApp, alerting residents to the area the scammer is working.
Why was CBCSI set-up?
CBCSI was started in 2007 because crime was out of control, armed response, on its own, was clearly insufficient, and numerous gaps existed in our policing and criminal justice system. The community had to pool resources together and work out measures that would be more effective against crime.
CBCSI was set up as the Crime Fighting side of Camps Bay Watch so that when an incident occurs we have the correct tools.
Administration Services
CBCSI has administration capability to take care of accounting, day-to-day general administration, collections, audit, database management, technology, debit order management, customer service, member queries and email communication.
Strategy & Leadership Services
CBCSI provides the community with strategic direction and leadership, so that we stay abreast of crime developments and use our assets effectively. CBCSI needs to stay up to date, we need to make sure we are financially sustainable and we must build capability to counter crime threats in the future. When it happens, it’s too late to prepare.
We also work with other crime fighting organizations such as armed response and SAPS to coordinate resources, share information and fight crime collectively, and we need to maintain relationships with stakeholder organizations in the community like the Camps Bay Business Forum and Camps Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association.
Lastly, but importantly, CBCSI maintains member communication and engagement so that the community buys into and supports what we are doing for the collective good.
Services we do not offer
CBCSI Operations are happy to put you in touch with local Security Service Providers, such as Bay Response, Fidelity ADT and PPA who can give you a competitive quote to meet your needs.