A police station is the local base of the South African Police Service (SAPS): the place where the public reports crime, makes statements and gets administrative help, and where the officers who police a defined area work from. In Afrikaans a police station is a polisiestasie, and SAPS itself is the Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. This guide explains how a station is organised, what it can do for you and the terms you will hear there.
How a Police Station Is Organised
- Station commander: the officer in charge of the station and accountable for its service. Unresolved service problems at a station are escalated to the station commander.
- Community Service Centre (CSC): the public front desk, open 24 hours. You may also hear it called the Client Service Centre. It takes crime reports, statements and general enquiries.
- Detective branch: investigates the cases opened at the station.
- Sector policing and visible policing: officers deployed to patrol and respond within the station’s sectors.
- Designated Firearms Officer (DFO): handles firearm competency and licence applications from people who live in the station’s area.
- Reservists: unpaid volunteers appointed to the Reserve Police Service who support station policing.
Police Station Areas and Boundaries
Every station polices a defined geographic area, often called its precinct, and SAPS divides that area into sectors. Boundaries are set by SAPS and do not follow suburb or municipal names, which is why a suburb may be served by a station named after a different place. Crimes are investigated by the station covering the place where the incident happened. See which police station covers my area and SAPS station boundaries.
Each station also works with a Community Police Forum (CPF), a structure through which residents and the station discuss local safety. See community policing forum near me.
What You Can Do at a Police Station
- Report a crime and open a case: how to report a crime.
- Have an affidavit commissioned: affidavit at a police station.
- Have copies of documents certified: certify documents at a police station.
- Have fingerprints taken for a police clearance certificate: police clearance certificate.
- Report a missing person, with no waiting period: missing persons.
- Apply for a firearm competency certificate or licence: firearm competency.
- Apply for a protection order and get victim support: protection orders and victim support.
Police Station Terms Explained
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| CSC | Community Service Centre, the 24-hour public desk at the station |
| CAS number | Crime Administration System number, the reference issued when a case is registered. See CAS number |
| Docket | The case file opened when you report a crime |
| DFO | Designated Firearms Officer |
| SAPS 91(a) | The fingerprint form used for police clearance and firearm competency applications |
| SAPS 517 | The application form for a firearm competency certificate |
| Sector | A smaller policing area within a station’s precinct |
| CPF | Community Police Forum |
| 10111 | The SAPS emergency number |
| 08600 10111 | Crime Stop, for anonymous tip-offs |
Useful Afrikaans Terms at a Police Station
| English | Afrikaans |
|---|---|
| Police station | Polisiestasie |
| South African Police Service | Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens |
| Police officer | Polisiebeampte |
| Affidavit | Beëdigde verklaring |
| Certified copy | Gesertifiseerde afskrif |
| Case / docket | Saak / dossier |
If you struggle to follow a statement an officer has written down for you, ask for it to be read back to you before you sign it.
When to Go to a Station and When to Call
- Crime in progress or danger to life: call 10111, or 112 from a mobile. Do not drive to a station first. See emergency numbers.
- Reporting a crime after the event: go to the station, preferably the one covering where it happened.
- Anonymous information about crime: Crime Stop on 08600 10111. See how Crime Stop works.
- Admin services such as affidavits and certified copies: any station. See can I go to any police station.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a police station called in Afrikaans?
Polisiestasie. The South African Police Service is the Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens.
Are police stations open 24 hours?
The Community Service Centre is. Other sections generally work office hours. See police station opening hours.
How do I find my nearest police station?
Use our SAPS station finder or browse South African police stations.