Cops evicted

SIX police officers accommodated at Gokwe Police Camp were on Monday made to sleep outside after being evicted to pave way for the incoming district police officer.

Gokwe officer in charge allegedly ordered the officers to look for alternative accommodation.

The six and their families slept outside.

A Gokwe resident expressed dismay over the incident urging police authorities to consider the welfare of the junior officers too.

"I was touched to learn that six police officers were forced to sleep outside after they were ordered to remove their property from the house they were sharing to accommodate one family," said the resident.

"I tried in vain to ask one of them to bring his family to my house since it was dark but they denied fearing disciplinary measure from their seniors.

"I do not know how police camps are built but I want to believe if they engage the community they can assist with bricks so as to build enough accommodation for our officers.

"We have thieves around Gokwe and police officers help the community much that we cannot see them being exposed to harsh weather along with their families like that," said the source.

Police have been experiencing shortage of accommodation for the past years forcing some officers to look for alternative accommodation from their immediate communities thereby compromising their work.

Flats at Tomlinson Depot expected to reduce accommodation shortage to police officers have gone for years without completion.

There was no immediate response from ZRP on the matter.