Cape Town - A Lentegeur police constable was arrested in a known Mitchells Plain drug house on Monday morning.
The 25-year-old man was found in the house after police responded to an anonymous tip-off at about 9am.
The off-duty constable was found in a bedroom of the house allegedly in possession of “tik and a glass tik lollie”.
The tip-off from a member of the public informed Mitchells Plain police that an official from the Lentegeur police station was “busy using drugs” at the house in Harvester Way, Westridge.
He was arrested and appeared in the Mitchells Plain Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning on charges relating to possession of drugs.
The head of the governance, crime and justice division of the Institute for Security Studies, Gareth Newham, said abuse of alcohol and drugs was an occupational hazard that could affect police anywhere in the world.
“Police tend to have high levels of alcohol and drug abuse compared to other professions,” he said.
This was partly due to the nature of police work where these individuals were exposed to the worst aspects of society.
Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said any SAPS member found not adhering to the organisational guidelines, regulations and the Code of Conduct while performing their duties as police officials “will be dealt with decisively”.
Cape Times