DPV WATCH PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated 21 June 2024.

Devils Peak Vredehoek Neighbourhood Watch (DPVwatch) is a voluntary community organisation.  The collection of personal information is necessary to ensure effective communication and functioning of DPVwatch. In terms of the Protection of Personal Information Act, Act 4 of 2012 (POPIA) we strive to adhere to the POPIA principles of collection personal information and to ensure the quality, accuracy and confidentiality of the information in our possession.

If you have questions or complaints regarding our privacy policy or practices, please email us at contact@dpvwatch.co.za.

The DPVwatch Privacy Policy (this Policy) describes the ways in which we collect, store, use and protect the personal information of members. The term “personal information” describes information that can be associated with a specific person and could be used to identify that person.

In terms of our Constitution, membership is only open to persons older than 18 years.

By accepting this Policy, you are deemed to have read and agreed with all the provisions thereof. If you do not agree with the content of this policy, you may not be a member and please do not interact on the website.

1 PRIVACY POLICY

1.1. We respect and recognise the importance of protecting your privacy. This Policy sets out our information gathering and dissemination practices in respect of the DPVwatch website and communication methods.

1.2. We reserve the right to amend this Policy at any time as is deemed necessary to ensure the efficient functionality of DPVwatch.

1.3. We will notify all members in advance of any changes to this Policy, and members are entitled to terminate membership.

2 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 Types of Information:

On signing up as a member of DPVwatch, it is agreed that DPVwatch may electronically collect, store and use the following information for the purposes set out in clause 2.3 below:

2.1.1. Full Name

2.1.2. Unique Identity Number (SA ID number) or Passport Number (if non-resident)

2.1.3. Address

2.1.4. Email Address

2.1.5. Cell phone number

2.1.6. Additional information may be provided on a voluntary basis e.g. armed response company, street cameras and whether you are willing to participate in DPVwatch activities and/or programs.

2.1.7. Active patrollers and EXCO members may be required to submit fingerprint screenings as proof of SAPS clearance.

2.2 How information is collected:

2.2.1. General forms (membership, patrols, detailed incident reports) using Google forms.

2.2.2. Voluntary provision of information when signing up for activities or programs.

2.2.3. Additional information required related to radio network (i.e. radio call-signs and emergency contact details)

2.2.4. Voluntary submission of SAPS clearance certificates

2.3 The purpose for which information will be used

2.3.1. Identification and verification in order to ensure compliance with the DPVwatch Constitution

2.3.2. Compliance with the Western Cape Provincial Constitution and Code of Conduct for Neighbourhood Watch Structures.

2.3.3. Email address is required in order to communicate announcements and newsletters with members. The information is passed through a third party mail manager (MailChimp).

2.3.4. Cell phone numbers are used to add members to Crime Incident WhatsApp alert groups (Zone groups). Members give consent to be added to groups and can leave at any time.

2.3.4.1. Members can use the WhatsApp Community function to move between Zone groups.

2.3.4.2. Voluntary information about alerts on street facing cameras may be shared on non-public patrol WhatsApp groups and with security service providers (e.g CBAR or ADT Fidelity).

3 PROTECTION AND STORAGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

3.1 We store and process the personal information of our Members in accordance with Applicable Law.

3.2  We use WordPress and various WordPress plug-in to store and manage Member’s personal information on our website. In order to minimize the risk of vulnerability to exploitation we have a policy of maintaining all components up-to-date with the latest release.

3.3  We authorize access to personal information only for those DPVwatch committee members who require it to fulfil their responsibilities.

3.4 If you are a legal entity and not an individual, we will liaise only with your named contact or alternative contact provided by your named contact. It is your responsibility to let us know of any changes to your named contact.

3.5. Payment related personal information is entered into certain plug-ins on the website and is passed through to the third-party payment gateways used to process payments. At no time do we have access to any personal payment data, nor is it stored on our website.

4 HOW WE SHARE PERSONAL INFORMATION WITH OTHERS

4.1 Personal information may need to be shared with:

4.1.1. Law enforcement, government officials, fraud detection agencies or other third parties when 

4.1.1.1  compelled to do so by a subpoena, court order or similar legal procedure;

4.1.1.2  in compliance with any law; and/or

4.1.1.3  when in good faith that the disclosure of personal information is necessary to prevent physical harm or financial loss, to report suspected illegal activity;

4.1.2 Other third parties, with your consent or direction to do so.

4.2 DPVwatch will not sell or rent any of your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes and only shares your personal information with third parties as described in this Policy.

5 HOW TO ACCESS, CHANGE OR DELETE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

5.1. Only the secretariat has access to members’ personal information which is stored in google drive associated with our website.

5.2. Members may request confirmation of their personal information, update personal information, or request that their personal information be deleted from the database.

5.3         Deleting your information:

5.3.1      Members can opt-out (unsubscribe) from any communications at any time by contacting us with your request at contact@dpvwatch.co.za. Please note that this request will mean that you will not be emailed by us on any matters impacting the general DPVwatch activities but won’t remove you as a Member.

5.3.2      You can unsubscribe from membership at any time in accordance with the terms of your agreement with DPVwatch. You may not be a member without your acceptance of this Privacy Policy.

5.3.3      Please note: Certain information may be retained for legal purposes and will only be held for so long as required by applicable law.

6 NON-PERSONAL INFORMATION

Collection of anonymous data

4.1. We may use standard technology to collect information on the DPVWatch website. This technology is not able to identify individual users but simply allows us to collect statistics.

4.2. We may utilise temporary or session cookies (a cookie is a small file that is placed on your hard drive) to keep track of users’ browsing habits. This allows us to track your use of this Site as well as your visits to other websites. Other websites may also use these cookies to track your browsing habits.

4.3. Cookies by themselves will not be used to identify users personally but we may use them to compile de-identified statistics relating to use of services offered or to provide us with feedback on the performance of this Site.

4.4. The following classes of information may be collected in respect of users who have enabled cookies:

4.4.1. The browser software used;

4.4.2. IP address;

4.4.3. Date and time of activities while visiting the Site;

4.4.4. URLs of internal pages visited; and

4.4.5. referring websites, search engines and the like.

4.5. If you do not wish cookies to be employed to customise your interaction with this Site it is possible to alter the manner in which your browser handles cookies. Please note that, if this is done, certain services on the Site may not be available to you.

7 YOUR CONSENT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

By accepting this Policy, you consent to our collection, storage, processing and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Policy, for so long as you are a member of DPVwatch.

You consent that DPVwatch may, from time to time, send you email updates and/or text messages with news and other updates about DPVwatch and about matters related to policing and security in the area, and that we may send and/or text you appeals for donations to support security and other DPVwatch-supported initiatives.

As a member of DPVwatch whose has been added to DPVwatch’s WhatsApp alert groups, you understand that some of your personal information will be visible to other DPVwatch members and to first responders and security service providers on the alert group.

Should you terminate your membership with us you consent to our retention of the information we have already collected from you for record-keeping purposes only in accordance with applicable law.

8 HOW YOU CAN CONTACT US ABOUT PRIVACY RELATED QUESTIONS

If you have questions or concerns regarding this Policy, you should contact us by mailing us at contact@dpvwatch.co.za

Shopping Cart
Scroll to Top