EDITOR-The sad treatment of our canine officers should alert us to a similar treatment of the equine officers as well.
Who knows how our horses are doing now, since their last crisis?
Even sadder is that the City deprives these officers an honourable discharge into caring hands to live out their lives in dignity.
Sadly, our Metro wastes a fortune on appearances. Dogs, at one time, were an important element in law enforcement.
Not so today, given the very attitude of the Durban Metropolitan Police Service (DuMPS) towards law enforcement.
Similarly, horses, bicycles, Slegways and golf carts play no significant role in upholding the city bylaws and should be quickly phased out.
On the question of bylaws, I say this to Captain Neville Govender: “You go to such lengths to detail the procedure to be followed, but all that achieves is a load of paperwork and waste of time, without addressing nuisance urgently. Would you care to say what is “persistent for an extended period of time” Does noise from vehicle sound systems and modifications fit into your list of to-do's?
Are your officers in, “Break glass in case of emergency” boxes – getting into gear only when called? Do they totally lack initiative? Or are they scared of work?
Action after the fact does not save the public, especially those attending an event, from a noise-blasting. I suppose you are never aware of any event being held in the city? The public should not have to complain, especially if the city, per se, got serious about service delivery. Your officers are forever driving around, they should see and hear everything they pass.
You do know that at the time of applying for permission to convene events, the organisers always agree to abide by the city bylaws? So now arrange that, at the time of signing off events, the city provides you with a list of events to police, with at least one officer on site for the duration of the event.
If there are any violations, the officer/s can then order the organisers to comply immediately. In the event of a complaint from the public, that officer would then have some answering to do.
Mahmood
North Beach
