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Protecting the SAPS and the public

The South African government has a double obligation, protecting the SAPS and the public.

It is not news that South Africa is one of the most dangerous countries to be employed as a policeman. In a country which has one of the highest crime rates in the world, statistics put the number of policemen killed on active duty at about 100 every year. It is a definite cause for concern.

Just as alarming is the ever-increasing incidence of police brutality. One statistic put the number of police-caused deaths in the country at 600. One that is still fresh on everyone’s mind is the Vaalwater policeman who was caught on camera using excessive force on a 19-year-old suspect.

The incident has drawn an interesting response from a crime-weary South African public. While some are shocked, even appalled at the policeman’s conduct, there is a fair number who believe the policeman was fully in his rights to deal with the young boy in such a brutal manner. This is despite the fact that the police themselves have stated that he acted outside the South African Police Act and could well be removed from the police service.

As someone in the security and video surveillance industry, what stood out most for me from the incident is the fact that it was captured on video. It has been argued that video evidence is not always objective and can be misused but it is considerably more objective than other forms of evidence. It can also bring to light events that we otherwise would not have had an inkling of.

According to news reports the boy had unsuccessfully lodged a complaint sometime before this, but it was only after the video emerged that anything was done about it – perhaps for lack of real evidence. Were it not for the fact that the incident was recorded there it is possible that there would have been none of the public disapproval (or endorsement) of the policeman’s actions and none of the resulting action against him.

This presents quite a challenge for government: how do they protect both police officers and the public?

Roy Alves, country general manager, Axis Communications

Surveillance solution

In my view this would be possible if police activities were recorded as standard practice. It would certainly help to protect both the suspect and the policeman.

Let us use an international example. In the US the increased use of video surveillance equipment has seen a corresponding increase in the use of video evidence in criminal investigations and court proceedings. More recently there has been greater use of this type of equipment in police work which has also helped to deal with allegations of police misconduct.

US police departments make use of a number of types of cameras in the course of their daily work. These include dashboard mounted cameras, body cameras and cameras that can scan vehicle registration plates in split seconds. In addition to being useful in bringing criminals to justice, the images captured by the cameras can be monitored in real-time in a remote centre to enable the speedy dispatch of backup where necessary.

Dashboard cameras are a good example of how video surveillance ensures that police activities are above board. There have been a number of complaints against the police particularly during vehicle or traffic stops ranging from sexual harassment to undue intimidation and soliciting of bribes. An onboard camera would certainly provide protection for the public and the police. It would assist police departments in deterring such conduct amongst its police officers while at the same time protecting them from wrongful accusations.

Another vital benefit here is that policemen are also protected from physical harm. For instance, if a car is pulled over and the driver knows that he or she is being filmed, they might think twice about attacking the police officer.

I will say it again: South Africa is not the easiest place to be a policeman. Not only is there an extremely violent society to contend with, there are also the dangers that policemen face daily in carrying out their duties. Added to that is the extremely negative public perception of the police as well as the criminal elements that have embedded themselves in our police force. This makes life extremely difficult for the policemen who are sincerely dedicated to carrying out the very honourable duty of protecting our country’s citizens.

The fact is simply that, as flawed as our police force is, we need it. The best we can do is to think of ways in which we can operate better.

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