Police showed unprofessional attitude

I AM writing this letter to inform whoever is in charge of the SAPS at Mkoko Police Station in Kwanobuhle, Uitenhage, that police at that station are incompetent, lazy and unprofessional. It makes me think they do not know what it means to be a police officer or maybe they do, but it's just that they are not passionate about what they are doing.

I should think most of them are in the wrong position. Being in the police is a calling, just like nursing and being a doctor, to name two.

Police officers, or let me say so-called police officers, went to the police out of desperation for work. Let me remind those police officers at Mkoko Police Station about their role as police officers.

The SAPS is a people-orientated service. It is for the community by the community with the emphasis on the fundamental rights of all the peoples of South Africa.

The rationale is based on the needs of people and the flexibility of policing. Police officers must have respect for life and liberty.

They must be sensitive and inclusive, treating everyone with dignity and compassion.

They must be able to respond to calls for police service. If you need police assistance you will wait for some days to get assistance.

People are being told there is a shortage of vehicles. Yes, we are aware of that but what we fail to understand is you will see police vans around taverns.

I appeal to officers: if you are not passionate about your work, please do an honourable thing and resign and look for a job somewhere else. I am very much aware not all police officers at that station are lazy but I can safely say about 96% of them are in a wrong field.

I hope superiors will do something about that station. They are really failing the people.

Mthetheleli Fatman, Uitenhage