The absence of terminological and conceptual clarity in the Constitution, which is the starting point for determining the police’s role in the combating of crime, clearly exacerbates the existing confusion and supports public perceptions that the police must “prevent” crime. No other South African legislation provides any further guidance on this matter. The situation is further complicated by the discrepancy between statute and policy. In addition, there is a similar confusion about crime combating terminology and concepts in general, adding difficulty and uncertainty about the overall location of responsibilities. A defining model for crime combating is proposed which depicts the place of both crime prevention and policing within the broader framework of crime combating or crime fighting. It is recommended that a national crime combating center or agency be created to coordinate the development and implementation of a national policy and strategy to combat crime; that section 205(3) of the South African Constitution, 1996 be reformulated to distinguish between the functions and objects of the police, and to exclude crime prevention; and that the South African Government consider the appointment of a working group to develop definitions for concepts connected to crime combating for inclusion in the Constitution, as well as other relevant legislation. This paper argues that blaming of the police when crime levels are high is largely due to misconceptions about the meaning and implications of concepts such as crime combating, policing, and crime prevention. These arguments are supported by an analysis of policy development for the police and for policing, as well as the strategic and operational approaches to crime combating in South Africa. The paper briefly discusses the relationship between crime and national security in South Africa and the need for a concurrent national security policy and strategy. References