Johannesburg – There are a lot of good policemen that will not give up until justice is done and criminals are locked behind bars.
Captain Chris Heyns, who received an award in the Detective Employee of the Year category during the South African Police Service (SAPS) National Excellence Awards on Friday, is one of those policemen.
Heyns, 48, has been a policeman for 30 years. He was recognised for his dedication and initiative he shows even when he is off duty.
The awards were hosted by the Acting National Commissioner of the SAPS, Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane, on Friday at the Sandton Convention Centre. This was the third instalment of the awards, which honour the organisation’s employees for excellent service delivery.
Heyns has 38 dockets on hand, 37 of which have been successfully investigated and are on the court roll. Some of his career highlights include the arrest of two Mozambican nationals, who are linked to 20 cases of house robbery and house breaking.
Heyns has worked over weekends and after hours using his own vehicle to identify property, obtain statements and serve 89 witnesses with subpoenas. The case is still on the court roll but Heyns has already recovered property to the value of approximately R450 000 in his investigation.
Speaking to SAnews after receiving his award, Heyns said what he does is not a job but a calling.
“I’m doing it for the country, the community and the people. The most important thing for me is to be a good leader that leads by example, and not be a person who is just there,” said Heyns.
Despite the increasing number of police killings, Heyns said in the past 30 years, he has never been afraid of going to work because he knows that God is with him. He believes that having a positive attitude leads to success in what a person does.
“If you wake up in the morning and have a positive attitude and tell yourself that today you are going to make a difference and do the best you can, you will succeed.
“To be a good leader, you actually don’t have to say anything but lead by example. People must see my actions and that’s the way I’m going to teach them and lead them,” he said.
He assured citizens that police officers are not their enemies but are there to protect them.
“I’m very proud to be a member of the SAPS and we thank our department for acknowledging the work we are doing. This encourages us to work even harder.”
Saluting the men and women in blue, Phahlane said when officers go above and beyond the call of duty, it is important for the SAPS to recognise them.
“When everyone else is running from danger, police officers runs towards it to serve and protect our communities. When they leave their homes to start their shift, they don’t know what the day will bring, what situations they will deal with and dangers they may face.
“It is a unique job and the citizens of this country owe our police officers a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they make. Society should not turn a blind eye when they do good,” said Phahlane.
Other categories in the awards include Administration Employee of the Year, Administration Team of the Year, Visible Employee of the Year, Visible Policing Team of the Year, Detective Team of the Year, Crime Intelligence Employee of the Year and Crime Intelligence Team of the Year. – SAnews.gov.za
