Opinion / Columnist
Reform the police force
02 Oct 2017 at 17:40hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is the national police force of Zimbabwe, known until July 1980 as the British South Africa Police.
The force consists of at least 40,000 officers and is head-quartered in Harare at the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ). The force is organised by province, and comprises uniformed national police referred to as Duty Uniform Branch (DUB), the plain clothes comprised Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI), and traffic police (part of DUB). To date, there are 17 known provinces which are headed by a Senior Assistant Commissioner. It also includes specialist support units including the (paramilitary) Police Support Unit and riot police, a Police Internal Security and Intelligence unit (the equivalent of the Rhodesian Special Branch); and ceremonial and canine units.
The Zimbabwean police used to be a force to reckon with since it's inception and transition from the colonial era to the new Zimbabwe. No cases were swept under the carpet during that time and the organization was a shining beacon. Cases were reported and the crime detection was so excellent.
Police officers were well looked after and well resourced. A police station would have two serviceable vehicles with VHF radio communication system. Today the Zimbabwe Republic Police had received its share of criticism due to unprofessional and abuse of human rights. Let me start by critically looking at the global modern day policing.
Globally police brutality is one of several forms of police misconduct which involves undue violence by police members. Widespread police brutality exists in many countries and territories, even those that prosecute it. Although illegal, it can be performed under the color of law.
The term "police brutality" was in use in the American press as early as 1872, when the Chicago Tribune reported on the beating of a civilian under arrest at the Harrison Street Police Station.
The origin of 'modern' policing based on the authority of the nation state is commonly traced back to developments in seventeenth and 18th century France, with modern police departments being established in most nations by the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Police brutality has been witnessed in the country where overzealous police officers would pounce on innocent civilians and demonstrations during the 1998 food riots. Demonstrators have not been spared by the police when trying to control the riotous mob. Sometime last year the police used water canons to spray water and tear gassed civilians and demonstrators who were protesting under the Nera banner for election reforms
Recently there were riots in Harare and the police beat people and they indiscriminately shot at pedestrians and motorists after they ruthlessly descended on protesters who were demonstrating against the deteriorating economic situation that has triggered a wave of price increases and shortages of some basic commodities. Beating demonstrators and civilians will not solve the economic woes gripping the country , but the government must find solutions to the problems. Journalists have been beaten and their cameras damaged whilst on duty covering such events.
However in Zimbabwe very few cases of shooting have been recorded but the use of long reach baton sticks and tear gas are very prevalent. We have also witnessed the police shooting in parts of Southern Africa. A very good example is the Marikana shooting in South Africa.
The Marikana massacre, which took place on 16 August 2012, was the single most lethal use of force by South African security forces against civilians since 1960. The shootings have been described as a massacre in the South African media and have been compared to the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. The incident also took place on the 25-year anniversary of a nationwide South African miners' strike. The massacre took place at two locations, roughly 500 metres away from each other, with 17 people fatally wounded at each of these locations. The vast majority of those killed were killed by fire from the R5 assault rifle used by the South African Police Service (SAPS).The official figure for strikers injured during the shooting was 78.
The police has also been blamed for unprofessional conduct when attending , handling and preserving of prima facie evidence on cases of murder and arson. It has been noted that evidence has been lost or tempered with resulting in some murder suspects acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence.
Corruption and accepting of bribes has been a major concern in the organisation. There is an outcry of bribery cases especially on road blocks where the police has been demanding exorbitant money to let commuter omnibuses and motorists pass. The ZRP has become a cash cow for the state. Motorists are forced to pay spot fines of traffic offences some of them ranging from failing to put some reflectors and a disfunctional number plate light. One can hardly travel five kilometers without coming across a police road block. The use of spikes has been widely condemned by the public and that did not conform with the modern way of policing.
Tourists have complained about the presents and deployment of traffic police officers on our main and feeder roads in the country. The Minister of Tourism Cde Walter Mzembi has lambasted and condemned the heavily handedness conduct of the police force and has tried to seek audience with the Police Commissioner to reduce the number of roadblocks but it all fell on deaf ears and he lost a top position in UTWO. The spike wielding police officers have caused deaths and injuries of passengers which has painted a bad picture of the image of our force. They have deviated from their five core areas of policing and have rather concentrated on improving the revenue collection and milking the poor motorists. The organisation has been infested by arrogant and corrupt bad apples which need to be plucked away sooner than later.
As we approach 2018 we ask the police to be apolitical when dealing with political motivated cases. Previously we have witnessed some sections of the police force being partisan when handling political violence cases where the opposition has been at the receiving end. Selectively application of the law has been the hobby of our police force. We would like to appeal to the Police Commissioner and his team to carry out their duties without fear and favour.
Facebook - Leonard Koni
WhatsApp - +27747402042
Twitter - @leokoni
Email - konileonard606@gmail
The force consists of at least 40,000 officers and is head-quartered in Harare at the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ). The force is organised by province, and comprises uniformed national police referred to as Duty Uniform Branch (DUB), the plain clothes comprised Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Internal Security Intelligence (PISI), and traffic police (part of DUB). To date, there are 17 known provinces which are headed by a Senior Assistant Commissioner. It also includes specialist support units including the (paramilitary) Police Support Unit and riot police, a Police Internal Security and Intelligence unit (the equivalent of the Rhodesian Special Branch); and ceremonial and canine units.
The Zimbabwean police used to be a force to reckon with since it's inception and transition from the colonial era to the new Zimbabwe. No cases were swept under the carpet during that time and the organization was a shining beacon. Cases were reported and the crime detection was so excellent.
Police officers were well looked after and well resourced. A police station would have two serviceable vehicles with VHF radio communication system. Today the Zimbabwe Republic Police had received its share of criticism due to unprofessional and abuse of human rights. Let me start by critically looking at the global modern day policing.
Globally police brutality is one of several forms of police misconduct which involves undue violence by police members. Widespread police brutality exists in many countries and territories, even those that prosecute it. Although illegal, it can be performed under the color of law.
The term "police brutality" was in use in the American press as early as 1872, when the Chicago Tribune reported on the beating of a civilian under arrest at the Harrison Street Police Station.
The origin of 'modern' policing based on the authority of the nation state is commonly traced back to developments in seventeenth and 18th century France, with modern police departments being established in most nations by the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Police brutality has been witnessed in the country where overzealous police officers would pounce on innocent civilians and demonstrations during the 1998 food riots. Demonstrators have not been spared by the police when trying to control the riotous mob. Sometime last year the police used water canons to spray water and tear gassed civilians and demonstrators who were protesting under the Nera banner for election reforms
However in Zimbabwe very few cases of shooting have been recorded but the use of long reach baton sticks and tear gas are very prevalent. We have also witnessed the police shooting in parts of Southern Africa. A very good example is the Marikana shooting in South Africa.
The Marikana massacre, which took place on 16 August 2012, was the single most lethal use of force by South African security forces against civilians since 1960. The shootings have been described as a massacre in the South African media and have been compared to the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. The incident also took place on the 25-year anniversary of a nationwide South African miners' strike. The massacre took place at two locations, roughly 500 metres away from each other, with 17 people fatally wounded at each of these locations. The vast majority of those killed were killed by fire from the R5 assault rifle used by the South African Police Service (SAPS).The official figure for strikers injured during the shooting was 78.
The police has also been blamed for unprofessional conduct when attending , handling and preserving of prima facie evidence on cases of murder and arson. It has been noted that evidence has been lost or tempered with resulting in some murder suspects acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence.
Corruption and accepting of bribes has been a major concern in the organisation. There is an outcry of bribery cases especially on road blocks where the police has been demanding exorbitant money to let commuter omnibuses and motorists pass. The ZRP has become a cash cow for the state. Motorists are forced to pay spot fines of traffic offences some of them ranging from failing to put some reflectors and a disfunctional number plate light. One can hardly travel five kilometers without coming across a police road block. The use of spikes has been widely condemned by the public and that did not conform with the modern way of policing.
Tourists have complained about the presents and deployment of traffic police officers on our main and feeder roads in the country. The Minister of Tourism Cde Walter Mzembi has lambasted and condemned the heavily handedness conduct of the police force and has tried to seek audience with the Police Commissioner to reduce the number of roadblocks but it all fell on deaf ears and he lost a top position in UTWO. The spike wielding police officers have caused deaths and injuries of passengers which has painted a bad picture of the image of our force. They have deviated from their five core areas of policing and have rather concentrated on improving the revenue collection and milking the poor motorists. The organisation has been infested by arrogant and corrupt bad apples which need to be plucked away sooner than later.
As we approach 2018 we ask the police to be apolitical when dealing with political motivated cases. Previously we have witnessed some sections of the police force being partisan when handling political violence cases where the opposition has been at the receiving end. Selectively application of the law has been the hobby of our police force. We would like to appeal to the Police Commissioner and his team to carry out their duties without fear and favour.
Facebook - Leonard Koni
WhatsApp - +27747402042
Twitter - @leokoni
Email - konileonard606@gmail
Source - Leonard Koni
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