Police impersonation seems to be on the increase. At most times, these impersonators commit crimes while pretending to be police officers.
For Cosmo City resident, Mpho Phaka this is a worrying trend as one can never be sure when s/he is stopped by a real or fake police officer. On Sunday 22 March a man was arrested in Cosmo City for being in possession of a police uniform. “How do they get these uniforms,” questioned Raphata. He said there were rumours that police could be colluding with criminals by selling their old uniform to them.
Spokesperson for the National Police, Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale highlighted that they have on many occasions highlighted their serious
concerns regarding police collusion with criminals and police officers offering their uniforms to criminals is certainly no exception.
“Since November 2013 to date, in Gauteng Province alone, we have arrested 21 police officers for aiding criminals that impersonate police officers,”explained Lt Gen Makgale. He said measures were put in place and they are busy exploring new proactive strategies to curb this disturbing trend.
Lt Gen Makgale said for the public to be able to identify and be certain that a police officer is real, the officer must identify him/herself by means of an appointment certificate, which he/she must carry at all times when on duty.
On the same note, he said police uniform is issued by uniform provisioning store to police officials only after confirmation by a commander on a prescribed electronic process, which he believes can make it difficult for criminals to access police uniform. “Receipt of the uniform is acknowledged by the members themselves,” said Lt General Makgale.
He said for the disposal of uniform, all old uniform items must be handed in by members when requesting new uniform on a one-to-one exchange basis and this applies to retired, resigned and existing members. “This uniform then is disposed of centrally by supply chain management.”
He also highlighted that according to section 66 (2) of the Police Service Act, it’s an offence to be in possession of police uniform. The Act stipulates,
“Any person who wears, or without the written permission of the National Commissioner, makes use of any decoration or medal instituted, constituted or created under this Act or its bar, clasp or ribbon or anything so closely resembling any such decoration, medal, bar, clasps or ribbon as to be calculated to deceive, shall unless he or she is the person to whom such decoration or medal was awarded, be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding 6 months.”
