360 police officers suspended

Nearly 360 police officers were suspended from duty last year for various acts of misconduct, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Obedingwa Mguni has said. He said this in the National Assembly last week while responding to questions from legislators.

"When the police officers are trained and deployed on the ground, some are doing other things that are not according to the police policy as a force, which they need to be disciplined on," said Deputy Minister Mguni.

"The disciplining mechanism which is there in the police has actually seen the suspension of 357 police officers last year who had been doing other things that are outside their working scope.

"Therefore, it is also the duty of the public to understand what is expected from a policeman so that if that police officer commits something outside the working scope, he has to be reported so that we deal with the police office."

Deputy Minister Mguni said training standards of the police remained high and professional.

"We went to Morris Depot where the police are trained and we wanted to see the material they are using. It is very up to standard and very professional," he said.

A number of police officers have been arrested for receiving bribes, especially at roadblocks.

Deputy Minister Mguni said Government had engaged a private company to set up a computerised ticketing system that will do away with cash payments for traffic offences.

"There is a new company which has come to change the way in which the police are operating so that they do not carry any receipt books," he said. "We now have a machine which will enable a vehicle's number plate to be scanned.

"The person would state the owner of the vehicle, a slip will be printed to enable the person, even though he or she does not have cash on him, to approach the nearest police camp and pay. We will be having such machines. We are leaving old ways. We want to stop corruption which is there."

Mwanwhile, Government has established the Zimbabwe Republic Police Association that is set to look into all matters affecting the welfare and efficiency of members.

According to the latest Government Gazette, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Ignatius Chombo established the association in terms of Section 72 (2) (m) of the Police Act.

"The functions of the association shall be to consider and bring to the notice of the Commissioner-General of Police all matters affecting the welfare and efficiency of members, other than matters relating to discipline and promotion affecting individual members, unless there is principle involved affecting the welfare and efficiency of members," reads the Government Gazette.

The association shall consist of members of the police service and it shall be divided into three branches -A, B and C.

Branch A shall consist of members who are above the rank of superintendent, while Branch B shall consist of members who are above the rank of inspector, but not above the rank of superintendent.

Branch C shall consist of members who are of or below the rank of assistant inspector.

Membership shall terminate when a member ceases to be a member of the police service.

The members of a branch shall annually elect delegates to a committee which shall be termed a "provincial committee" in the manner and number prescribed by the rules.

There shall also be a committee termed the association executive committee which shall consist of a chairperson.

The general control and management of the day-to-day business of the association shall vest in the association executive committee.

The executive committee shall report its day-to-day activities to the Police Association Board.