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Return police special units

THE South African Policing Union urges the political leaders of the Department of Police to seriously reconsider re-establishing specialised units, including the very successful family violence and child protection unit.

THE South African Policing Union urges the political leaders of the Department of Police to seriously reconsider re-establishing specialised units, including the very successful family violence and child protection unit.

Though Sapu understands why some specialised units were disbanded, we believe that any action taken should be to improve, not compromise, service delivery.

As we have launched the Child Protection Week, we call for the re-establishment of these units not only to protect children during the World Cup, but beyond. Offences against women and children are still unacceptably high.

We state categorically that we are not by any means opposed to transformation in the police and the decentralisation of resources.

We believe the empowerment of its members should guide the SAPS . Thousands of men and women, who have for years secured many convictions in women- and child- related cases, were taken to other areas within the service, where they are not effectively utilised.

These patriotic sons and daughters didn't resign from the police though they were frustrated by being taken away from the areas they were more effective in. We call on the SAPS management to swallow its pride and acknowledge that it made a huge mistake and correct it.

We also call on the community to report women and child abuse because it is extremely difficult for officers to police behind family doors.

Lastly, we salute the police officers who have worked around the clock under difficult circumstances to ensure that rapists and other abusers were brought to book. It is through your selfless efforts that those bastards were removed from society.

Joseph Matam, Sapu general secretary, Johannesburg

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