POLICE chief Bheki Cele wants to be called "general", immediately. This after the cabinet last week approved his calling himself that from April Fool's Day.

POLICE chief Bheki Cele wants to be called "general", immediately. This after the cabinet last week approved his calling himself that from April Fool's Day.

This is part of the militarisation of what we at present call the police service.

The brains trust in charge of what has since 1994 been called safety and security say the changes to the nomenclature is necessary if discipline and efficiency are to be improved.

We share the concerns of those who say the militarisation of the police is a regressive step and a hankering after days when the police were to be feared rather than respected.

We confess to not understanding exactly how it is the police think calling each other by military ranks will improve discipline or efficiency.

What we would rather see from Cele and his team is a real plan to make us feel safe at home, on our streets and at work.