Protect and serve
It was with a certain sense of outrage that the nation received the news that four police officers have been arrested for allegedly beating up their partners and wives.
This follows last week’s murder/suicide at the Louis Botha supermarket in Windhoek in which Alina Kakehongo (24) was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend, 28-year-old Special Reserve Force member Samuel Shali Nghihepa, before he shot himself dead.
Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga said explicitly on Monday that victims of domestic violence, allegedly perpetrated by police officers, are now coming forward following the Louis Botha incident.
Those in custody include an inspector, a warrant officer and two constables.
Rightfully, Ndeitunga has admitted that the incidents involving police officers are disturbing and are tarnishing the image of the police even further.
The police chief added this is especially worrisome in the light of how the public currently perceives the force.
Just recently, five Rundu family members were beaten to death, after the police failed to respond to an escalating, violent incident. The victims included three young children.
Since this incident, Ndeitunga has been on the warpath, promising to tackle corruption, laziness and other ills in the force.
But now the time for talk is at an end and further action is required with regard to cleaning up the mess in the police.
Obviously there are bad apples that need to be dealt with and dealt with thoroughly, so that they do not end up spoiling the whole barrel, so to speak.
In a healthy society, police officers are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations designed to protect life and property.
Their job is to protect and serve, not to maim and brutalise, while leaving violent criminals to their own devices.
The cleaning up of the force needs to be clinical and quick, before further incidents shatter our confidence in those who are supposed to be our protectors.
This follows last week’s murder/suicide at the Louis Botha supermarket in Windhoek in which Alina Kakehongo (24) was gunned down by her ex-boyfriend, 28-year-old Special Reserve Force member Samuel Shali Nghihepa, before he shot himself dead.
Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga said explicitly on Monday that victims of domestic violence, allegedly perpetrated by police officers, are now coming forward following the Louis Botha incident.
Those in custody include an inspector, a warrant officer and two constables.
Rightfully, Ndeitunga has admitted that the incidents involving police officers are disturbing and are tarnishing the image of the police even further.
The police chief added this is especially worrisome in the light of how the public currently perceives the force.
Just recently, five Rundu family members were beaten to death, after the police failed to respond to an escalating, violent incident. The victims included three young children.
Since this incident, Ndeitunga has been on the warpath, promising to tackle corruption, laziness and other ills in the force.
But now the time for talk is at an end and further action is required with regard to cleaning up the mess in the police.
Obviously there are bad apples that need to be dealt with and dealt with thoroughly, so that they do not end up spoiling the whole barrel, so to speak.
In a healthy society, police officers are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations designed to protect life and property.
Their job is to protect and serve, not to maim and brutalise, while leaving violent criminals to their own devices.
The cleaning up of the force needs to be clinical and quick, before further incidents shatter our confidence in those who are supposed to be our protectors.
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