Row over snapshot of snoozing cops

The photo of Mitchells Plain cops allegedly sleeping in the charge office was posted on Facebook.

The photo of Mitchells Plain cops allegedly sleeping in the charge office was posted on Facebook.

Published Nov 8, 2010

Share

A picture of cops snoozing on the job posted on Facebook has caused a storm.

The photo of three Mitchells Plain cops sleeping in the charge office was posted on ward councillor Grant Pascoe’s Facebook page and has been met with outrage by local law enforcers.

Head of the station Major General Jeremy Veary says the picture was “manufactured”.

“We have proof that those pictures are not authentic and that they has been doctored,” he said.

“None of the women in the photo work at the station and we can also prove that there were no female staff on duty when the picture was taken.”

He said the station planned to lay a criminal charge against Pascoe for his “political smear campaign”.

But Pascoe said the picture highlighted the ineffective policing in Mitchell’s Plain.

“This is not a personal attack... I simply wanted to show the ineffective policing that has been going on at Mitchell’s Plain,” said Pascoe.

He said the cops want to be seen as victims but the only victims are the residents who have to put up with poor policing.

Pascoe said the picture was taken by a member of the public and sent to him on Friday.

“After I posted it on Facebook, it just spiralled out of control,” he said.

Pascoe said he has been getting calls from officers at the station who are ready to speak out about poor service levels.

“I have even been getting calls from members who are so demoralised they are prepared to spill the beans,” he said.

Mitchells Plain Cluster Board chairman Michael Jacobs backs Veary and said the image had been doctored.

But Michael acknowledged that the station had launched an investigation into “the tardiness of a certain shift”.

“The picture was taken during the day when the charge office is at its busiest... no one can sleep during the day,” he said.

“This is a political campaign by councillor Pascoe who is after myself and General (Jeremy) Veary,” he said.

“Grant Pascoe is ’n politieke rot wat teer op arme gemeenskappe vir votes, terwyl hy by die finest restaurante boer (... is a political rat that preys on poor communities for votes while he dines at the finest restaurants).” - Daily Voice

Related Topics: