Pretoria - The SA Police Service is failing to deliver on its constitutional mandate to protect communities, the Freedom Front Plus said on Wednesday.
“The SA Institute for Race Relations (SAIRR) report confirms that the public cannot trust the police,” spokesman Pieter Groenewald said in a statement.
He said there was an endemic lack of discipline in the police.
“Police members who lose firearms, enforce wrongful arrests and commit corruption are lightly rapped over the knuckles and some even get off scot-free,” Groenewald said.
“Criminal offences are often merely concealed.”
The SAIRR report, titled “Broken Blue Line 2”, is a follow-up on the initial project released in 2011.
“Police officers will often use their policing powers, as well as equipment, to perpetrate crimes. In the case of cloned officers, criminal gangs appear to benefit from internal support from real officers,” SAIRR chief executive Frans Cronje said at the report's release in Pretoria.
Groenewald said considering that two police commissioners - Jackie Selebi and Bheki Cele - were removed for corruption-related offences, the SAIRR's findings were not surprising.
“If the police question the report they should institute an independent forensic investigation into crime in the police service,” said Groenewald.
He said such an investigation would vindicate avid, hard-working police officers.
Sapa