The increase in cybercrime has prompted various law enforcement agencies to change their approach to dealing with illegal activity on a broader scale.
This is according to Major General Mokgadi Bokaba, who is the Head of the Hawks in the Free State. She further mentioned their staff members are trained to understand new typologies, fraud-related cybercrime is also a top priority.
The Hawks therefore ensure that they maintain a sustained relationship with sister law enforcement agencies to deal with issues of cyber-related offences. “Cybercrime has not introduced new crimes but has unleashed A new phenomenon on how crime is committed. We appreciate the enacting of the Cybercrimes Act, as it capacitates us to deal with this phenomenon,” she explained.
Bokaba highlighted that community trust and cooperation s built through communication and by offering the public an opportunity to engage with the Hawks through various platforms. Thus, creating a safe space “reporting crime by educating the community on our mandate and being a channel to provide assistance,” she explained.
“I am proud to be leading a team of dedicated members dealing with Serious Organised Crime, Serious Commercial Crime and Serious Corruption. They move without fear or favour in ensuring criminals are brought to court for crimes they have committed,” she added.
No stranger to a leadership role, Bokaba said that communication, listening, being present, and leading by example are of the key qualities that a leader in this role should have. “In the two years and six months of me steering the ship of the Free State Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), I have seen commitment from all operational environments and the support team embracing and supporting them to ensure we operate a very oiled DPCI Free State machine,” she expressed.
Her advice to young women who aspire to take up leadership roles in law enforcement is that they should love being of service to people. “They should study and pursue their passion because the police is now looking for a new breed that is tech savvy, witty, ready to adapt and dedicated to serve,” she advised.
When she is not taking charge of the day-to-day, Bokaba enjoys going on a hike and spending time with her children and family. “I’m blessed with a supportive family and friends. In this crucial month where we celebrate women, we march forward with the 2024 UN International Women’s Day theme which says ‘invest in women, accelerate progress’,” she concluded.
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