Back on the beat for the Rugby World Cup
A far cry from his regular role as Road Policing Training Officer at the school of Patrol and Operational Policing, Sergeant Graham du Toit has thoroughly enjoyed getting back into front-line policing. In his regular role du Toit is responsible for the senior Road Policing courses, and assists with the course development programme which is aimed at STU, Highway Patrol, and GDB members.
Back on the beat
For Sergeant du Toit being back on the beat for the RWC has been both a demanding and exciting experience. His role in the competition saw him provide night-shift security for dignitaries and VIPs, including the Vice-President of South Africa (Kgalema Motlanthe), the President of Georgia (Mikheil Saakashvili) and South African coach (Peter de Villiers). His key role was to help dignitaries with any criminal issues or concerns they had, as well as serving a security role for VIPs at their accommodation.
Rugby Fans
One of du Toit’s tasks was to manage the behaviour of fans, particularly those who would camp outside the hotels in the hopes of getting close to the players. When asked by Police News about the behaviour of RWC fans he said, “They are a completely different type of punter than the usual fans you find at big rugby games. Supporters have been friendly, approachable and generally very well behaved. They have a lot of questions and generally want to get as close to the players as possible,” said du Toit.
Police Professionalism
Du Toit praised Police professionalism in dealing with crowds and fans during the Cup. “Police have provided fans and the public with a very professional and well-resourced service throughout the competition. I have attended some of the games myself as a spectator and have been extremely impressed with the way Police dealt with any issues,” he said.
