Cape Town - Provincial police have reported 17 cases of corruption in their ranks in the last three months.
This has prompted provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer to warn that lawlessness within the police service will not be tolerated.
Lamoer told the Cape Times on Sunday that the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (WCACIU) had increased its efforts to stamp out police corruption.
“Any police officer working outside of the law will be dealt with harshly.
“We have established an anti-corruption unit within the province that is working hard to stop these crimes,” said Lamoer. “I am also warning police officers who are busy with corrupt practices that we will come after them and, once they are arrested, the law will take its course.
“Thirdly, I would like to urge the community to come forward if they have any information that could lead to the arrest of corrupt officers.
“Our aim is to make sure police officers abide by the law. There is no place for corruption within the police force.”
The first case three months ago involved 10 Parow police station officers, who were arrested and charged with corruption on November 7.
On November 10, two Laaiplek police station detectives appeared in court after being charged with defeating the ends of justice.
Another Parow police station constable was charged with defeating the course of justice, and fraud, on November 21.
A Claremont police detective was arrested and charged with defeating the ends of justice and corruption on November 26.
On the same day, a Bredasdorp police station constable was arrested for theft.
A 31-year-old constable stationed at an Atlantis visible policing station was arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit an offence and arson on January 15. In the last case reported, a 40-year-old warrant officer from Steenberg police station was arrested on February 3 and charged with corruption.
The SA Institute of Race Relations recently released a national research paper highlighting police officers’ involvement in crime over the last three years.
The findings for their 2015 report indicated 36 cases related to murders, 21 related to armed robberies, 27 related to rape and 16 to other crimes ranging from torture to theft and burglaries.
National police spokesman Solomon Makgale said criminality within the police was being reduced and that 777 police officers had been dismissed since October 2014.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesman Moses Dlamini said more people were coming forward because they were being made aware of units like Ipid and the WCACIU.
Cape Times