It is not pessimistic to conclude that private security firms being enlisted to do official police work, as per the Sunday Times article yesterday, suggests that the police have failed in their constitutional duty to ensure our safety and security.
It is not pessimistic to conclude that private security firms being enlisted to do official police work, as per the Sunday Times article yesterday, suggests that the police have failed in their constitutional duty to ensure our safety and security.
Ordinarily that should be bread-and-butter police work. But we need to acknowledge a few realities, such as the fact that the private security industry outguns the SAPS by a huge margin and are, because of their proximity, usually the first to arrive at a crime scene.
While we can debate until the cows come home, the truth is that ordinary citizens could not be bothered about the type of badge worn by the officer who arrests those persons who have caused them harm - as long as criminals get to suffer the consequences of their actions.
As we speak, the SAPS lacks the resources to fully secure our safety.
Yes, we want it to do this, but until they have the required capacity we welcome any lawful measures that will make us sleep a bit more peacefully.
We hope, though, that such efforts will not only be confined to the more affluent areas but also to those where criminals have long felt untouchable.
No ordinary times
It is not pessimistic to conclude that private security firms being enlisted to do official police work, as per the Sunday Times article yesterday, suggests that the police have failed in their constitutional duty to ensure our safety and security.
It is not pessimistic to conclude that private security firms being enlisted to do official police work, as per the Sunday Times article yesterday, suggests that the police have failed in their constitutional duty to ensure our safety and security.
Ordinarily that should be bread-and-butter police work. But we need to acknowledge a few realities, such as the fact that the private security industry outguns the SAPS by a huge margin and are, because of their proximity, usually the first to arrive at a crime scene.
While we can debate until the cows come home, the truth is that ordinary citizens could not be bothered about the type of badge worn by the officer who arrests those persons who have caused them harm - as long as criminals get to suffer the consequences of their actions.
As we speak, the SAPS lacks the resources to fully secure our safety.
Yes, we want it to do this, but until they have the required capacity we welcome any lawful measures that will make us sleep a bit more peacefully.
We hope, though, that such efforts will not only be confined to the more affluent areas but also to those where criminals have long felt untouchable.