The advent of democracy in South Africa in 1994 demanded a fundamental reassessment and transformation of the nature and style of policing. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa prescribes the establishment of national police service, which is required to be representative, legitimate, impartial, transparent and accountable. In terms of the Constitution, the police service must uphold and protect the fundamental rights of all people, and execute its mission in consultation and co-operation with community and government, and in accordance with their needs.

Smart policing was written within this context, and serves as a guideline for law-enforcement officials in South Africa on how to provide the services that they are expected to deliver. It includes chapters on: Policies guiding the police and policing; legal aspects of policing; the National Prosecuting Authority and the investigator's role in the prosecution process; police-community relations; crime prevention and partnership policing; effective communication skills for interviewing; conflict transformation as an operational imperative; police administration at a police station; crime intelligence in proactive policing; policing intimate violence; victim empowerment; performance measurement for policing; partnerships between business and the SAPS.