Cape Town - To help stop police killings, the government should consider amending the legislation and allow longer jail sentences for criminals targeting law enforcement officers.
Police Minister Bheki Cele, speaking at the 8th SAPS National Excellence Awards in Limpopo at the weekend, urged officers to defend themselves when faced with danger.
Cele was referring to the murder of a Port Edward officer who was gunned down with his partner and two children in KwaZulu-Natal.
The officer’s third child, who is only 7 years old, is fighting for her life in hospital.
Police killings have been on the rise over the past financial year.
Emphasising the importance of defending themselves, Cele said: “Police must defend themselves decisively; that is why we give teachers chalk, we give doctors stethoscopes and we also give you tools.
“Police safety, as you know, is very close to the ministry. Police officers are under constant attacks from brazen criminals.”
We agree with the minister that police officers must defend themselves when under attack. However, it is easier said than done.
The reality is that criminals no longer fear the police.
In fact they are on the lookout for police as they provide easy access to firearms.
The reality is that we live in a country in which the police fear criminals.
Therefore, comfort visits and tough talk by Cele, while reassuring, do not go far enough to stop police killings.
What needs to happen is a series of practical actions that will demonstrate that killing an officer of the law is not only a serious criminal act, but an attack on the state itself.
Suspects arrested for such crimes should be denied bail, and if they are found guilty longer sentences should be imposed.
Those convicted of killing police officers should be treated as serious criminals and locked up in maximum facility prisons.
Parole should only be granted under exceptional circumstances.
These measures can only be implemented if there is political will to end police killings. We can start with the amendment of the relevant legislation in Parliament to underline the state’s determination to finally turn the corner when it comes to police murders.
We owe it to all the police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Cape Times