Many police members do good work and many criminals end up in prisons as a result. We applaud these successes. Nevertheless, since 2012, we have become increasingly concerned by evidence that the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) organisational performance and policing generally in South Africa are in a state of decline. After more than a decade of rising murder rates, improving public safety is critical for the country’s future. The government should prioritise a targeted programme of reform that measurably improves policing over the coming five years. Based on three decades of analysis of crime and policing in South Africa, this report provides recommendations in five strategic focus areas.