There is no sense in hiding criminals who kill police officers, Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko said in Pretoria on Sunday.

"These unscrupulous rogues who gun down police officers, often merely because they stand between them and their ill-gotten gains or nefarious needs, live and move among us in the communities," he said in a speech prepared for delivery.

He was speaking at a ceremony at the Union Buildings to pay tribute to the 68 police officers killed while on duty between April 2013 and March 2014.

"It is the duty of every law-abiding citizen, who knows or suspects that a police killer is living in their neighbourhood, to blow the whistle, albeit if they do so anonymously."

Nhleko said there were many ways of discreetly reporting a crime or criminals.

People needed to work with police officers in their areas. He called on community policing forums, labour unions, non-profit organisations, community-orientated leaders, and businesses to help police.

"This is to improve efficiency in the fight against all forms of crime and to harness skills and expertise through partnerships in order to, among other things, combat police murders."