SOUTH AFRICANS MUST TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE ON-GOING COP KILLING
The time has come for all South Africans to take a stand against the on-going cop killings. The Ministry of Police hosted a sunmmit last week to discuss what has been called a “national crisis”. Some 60 organisations including unions, NGO’s and civil bodies were represented.
Police Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, and national commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Bheki Cele , highlighted the seriousness of the problem.
Cele said heavily armed, dangerous and organized gangs-a “new breed of criminals”- were responsible for gunningdown men and women in blue.
Many ideas and suggestions were tabled and discussed at the summit. It’s now down to the implementation. The SAPS must ensure that words are put into action with urgency.
Civil society cannot sit back and watch law enforcers being gunned down. We need to join forces and stop this madness.
In other countries, there is a massive outcry when cops are gunned down. Why not in SA ?
I told the summit that awareness is important. If and when a cop is killed, the media has an important role to play. Why does it not always make the front pages ?
Some have asked why the special focus on police killings and not on ordinary citizens who are killed in their thousands.
Let’s keep in mind that it’s a serious threat to our democrazy when anyone in uniform, especially those who are tasked with upholding law and order, are mowed down.
In my presentation focusing on how to raise awareness, I also made a number of proposals…
I explained the need for a national drive to create awareness. This should be in the form of editorial and direct advertising and marketing.
Strong, punchy and powerful messages need to go out contantly. Shock tactics , graphic images and emotional messages should be considered. I gave various examples.
We need the public to stand up and see what’s happening. Civil society must be seen to be supporting the messages of “Stop killing our cops ” and “Hands of our cops” and prominent personalities such as musicans, actors and sportsmen and women should be used.
Communities need to realise that SAPS members are there to protect and serve them. They risk their lives every day.
The media should seriously consider creating more editorial awareness when cops are mowed down. It seems we accept cop killings as a way of live.
Police should get the media to all scenes where cops are killed to highlight this scourge.
Social media platforms need to be used to spread the messages in the form of viral e-mails, twitter, facebook, etc.
The annual police memorial service for the fallen heroes at the Union Buildings should not only be seen as a police event. It needs to involve all sectors of society.
Other events and activities need to be organized. These include displays at mall, memorial services in communities and annual candlelight vigils.
In Some countries, national flags fly at half mast when officers are gunned down. Perhaps we need to start with all police stations in South Africa.
Condemnation every time an SAPS member is killed should come right from the top. The President and other politicians need to start speaking-up.
A series of incidents has tarnished the police image. There needs to be renewal of the ” social contract and partnership” between the public and the police. Rights and responsibilities of both parties need to be reinforced.
The war on crime should be a united battle. The relationship between the police and comminities cannot beone of “us and them”. Partnerships need to be strengthened at every level.
There needs to be a constant drive encouraging communities to blow whistle on cop killers. Someone , somewhere, somehow knows who has killed a police officer.
We need to constantly remind the public to blow the whistle on cop killers by using Crime Line and Crime Stop.
48 police officers have been killed this year alone. Let’s protect our cops so that they can protect us.
— Yusuf Abramjee is head of News and Current Affairs at Primedia Broadcasting and also chairperson of the National Press Club. He writes this column in his personal capacity.
Vaalpark Polisie Sektor 