South Africa police told to 'shoot first'

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Bheki Cele

JOHANNESBURG — South African police chief Bheki Cele has warned officers to "shoot first" to protect themselves against armed criminals amid a wave of violence that has seen more than 50 cops killed so far this year.
Cele made the remarks at the funeral of two officers who were killed in the line of duty last weekend east of Johannesburg, the Sunday Times reported.
"When you see a criminal pointing a firearm at you, do not smile as the gun he is holding is not a camera. Shoot first to protect yourself," Cele said.
"SAPS (the South African Police Service) is not a burial society that buries police every weekend. We need to stand up and fight these criminals and we shall win."
Police say at least 56 officers have been killed since January.
Last week Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa called for more training for South Africa's officers, who deal with some of the highest rates of violent crime in the world.
The country recorded an average of 46 murders a day last year.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved.

AFP: South Africa police told to 'shoot first'

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South African Police - Gauteng Rapid Response

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Johannesburg NE Intervention Unit

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Mthethwa: 56 cops killed so far this year



Pretoria - Fifty-six police officers have been killed in 2011, says Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

"[T]his is a sore that can never be healed," he told the National Press Club in Pretoria on Friday.

Police leaders held a summit to address police killings on July 8.

Some of the resolutions adopted at the summit included an "Adopt-a-Cop" campaign; establishing a multi-disciplinary committee to co-ordinate the well-being of police officers; reviewing the 2000 ministerial task team findings; ensuring support for the family members of murdered officers and improving officer training.

Mthethwa urged police officers to be vigilant and responsible as most of the slain officers had been killed while responding to crimes in progress such as armed robberies.

"What we need to do is to have continuous training for the police and continuous vigilance from the officers.

"We think the time we give to police training is not enough...we need to give more."

He said the recent emphasis on the killing of police officers did not place their deaths above those of ordinary citizens killed by criminals, but the number of police murders "has to worry any South African.

"There are things (in the police force) that are weaknesses and we have to address these."

He believed crime was slowly decreasing and was confident that the next set of annual crime statistics would show a decline.

This contrasted with the situation a few years ago when police considered calling in the army to deal with cash-in-transit heists because they were being outgunned.

He did not believe the tough stance against criminals had made them more desperate and therefore prepared to shoot to escape.

Mthethwa declined to discuss Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's reports into two controversial building leases, which found that the National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele's actions had been unlawful, improper and amounted to maladministration.

The first report was released in February while the second was released earlier this month.



- SAPA

Mthethwa: 56 cops killed so far this year: News24: South Africa: News



Two officers who were killed in the line of duty last weekend (AFP/File, Rodger Bosch)

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South African Police Service

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South Africa Cops

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