Dragged cop saga: DEMS initiates intense investigations
The enquiry is being taken very seriously by the management of the department and intense investigations on the matter are being initiated already in order of resolving it amicably.
This was the response from Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS) spokesperson, William Ntladi, regarding the incident in which a citizen apparently received no assistance when trying to help a police officer who had suffered injuries.
The Advertiser recently reported on Rudo Barrish, who came across a Boksburg North SAPS member lying in North Rand Road after being dragged along it.
The constable was searching a vehicle when the driver pulled off at high speed, with the constable still halfway in the vehicle, on April 1 at around 5am.
Barrish at the time offered his assistance and rushed to the Leon Ferreira Fire Station, about 500m away.
“The first paramedic I encountered told me that he was not on duty and was therefore unable to assist. He was on his way home,” said Barrish.
“After I told him that a police officer had been badly injured, he just turned around and walked away. He kept on walking and I insisted that he tell me where I could get assistance.”
It was then that Barrish gave up trying to obtain help from the emergency services and dialled Netcare 911 instead.
“By the time the Ekurhuleni paramedics arrived on scene, which was 22 minutes later, the officer had already been assisted,” said Barrish.
The injured police officer was discharged from hospital on Sunday 9 April and is recovering well at home. He is expected to make a full recovery.
“As DEMS, we forward our wishes to register our utmost sympathy and speedy recovery to the police officer who sustained injuries as mentioned,” said Ntladi.
“DEMS is part of the Ekurhuleni Municipality which is policy driven. It also associates itself with the international bodies rendering emergency services globally in an ethical manner.
“The Code of Operational Ethics and Policies on the matter in short states that firefighters/paramedics in uniform – even if off duty – “have a duty to act”; hence we are critically looking at the allegation seriously. The department is investigating all allegations mentioned and [will] resolve them in accordance to municipal and departmental disciplinary code of conduct, policies and procedures.
“If the paramedic as mentioned was in uniform, it will be relevant enough for his name to be brought forward so the matter can be dealt with promptly.
“However, if the incident happened as presumed [near] Leon Ferreira Fire Station, the fire station has a training academy as well, with boarding rooms for new students attending courses from various areas across the country and SADC region.
“In the same breath, the department would like to advise once again that DEMS has a call receiving centre in Bedfordview with three other dispatching centres, one in each of the three operational regions within Ekurhuleni.
“We would like members of the public to utilise those centres effectively, as they operate on a twenty four/seven basis as well.”
He pointed out DEMS call centre number for life-threatening calls is 011 458 0911 on the land line; 10177 is the national emergency number which will be received by the nearest call centre across the country and is a toll-free number, and lastly there is 112, which is the international toll-free number.
