A photo of a SAPS officer standing in line at a Checkers store has turned into a web sensation – for unexpected reasons, this week.
The police officer, whose identity isn’t obvious in the photo, is shown with her gun holstered in a dangerous position – pointing upwards in her direction.
The photo, circulated on WhatsApp, shocked and angered many observers who lamented the lack of professionalism and care by law enforcement officers in South Africa.
A former police officer and security expert has weighed in and criticised the police officer for her supposed carelessness – saying the gun is perilously situated in the holster making it easy for criminals to snatch it.
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“There are a couple of issues regarding the safety aspect of carrying a firearm into a public space, that does not require an officer to carry a firearm under threat,” the expert noted.
“In the event that the firearm falls out of the holster you will have an incident on your hands that will require the SAPS to answer questions should someone be shot, injured, maimed or killed as a result of this negligence.”
The expert called on the Police Minister Bheki Cele to be made aware of the picture, saying that standards within the police service have diminished substantially.
A police spokesperson said no action could be taken against the office because there is little evidence she knew her holster was defective.
This latest revelation comes in the wake a series of damning evidence against police officers who seem to find creative ways of letting its citizens down.
Last month, a police constable was caught napping on a complainant’s lounge suite inside her home while leaving a colleague to fill out a crime report.
“Today myself and my staff were held up at gun point on my property. Thankfully all alive to tell the take,” Barbara Brown posted.
“The photos below are of a warrant officer who slept for two hours in my house while a constable took my statements,” Brown said.
Not to be outdone, a police officer was caught on video drunk beyond comprehension. The cop appeared incoherent, and unable to process what was going on around him. He fails to react to members of the public calling him out, and seemed utterly unfazed by the fact he is being filmed.
