Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS)

The mission of the Department of the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service is to provide efficient and effective civilian oversight over the South African Police Service (SAPS) and enhance the role of the Minister of Police. The Civilian Secretariat for Police (‘the Civilian Secretariat’) serves as technical advisor to the Minister of Police (‘the Minister’) to evince a transversal civilian oversight capability on the governance, service delivery and resourcing of the SAPS (‘the Police Service’).

The Civilian Secretariat performs advisory functions on various matters, including, but not limited to, departmental policy and strategy, legislation, and police performance through conducting audits, communication, community mobilisation on crime prevention, the Integrated Justice System, and international obligations and liaison.

The Department’s objectives are to: exercise civilian oversight over the Police Service through monitoring and evaluating overall police performance against planned programmes; give strategic advice to the Minister in respect of developing and implementing policies; provide administrative support services to the Minister to ensure South Africa’s engagement with relevant international obligations; liaise and communicate with stakeholders; implement a partnership strategy to mobilise role-players and stakeholders to strengthen service delivery by the Police Service to ensure the safety and security of communities; implement, promote and align the operations of the Civilian Secretariat in the national and provincial spheres of government; coordinate the functions and powers of the Civilian Secretariat in the national and provincial spheres of government; promote cooperation between the Civilian Secretariat, the Police Service and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate; and provide guidance to community police fora and associated structures and facilitate their proper functioning.