A Police Station is supposed to be a place of safety
31 March 2021 – For immediate release
We have watched the video and read available reports recounting the assault of a man in a White River police station over the weekend. Irrespective of the facts of what took place outside of the police station it is clear to any person watching the video that an unlawful assault is taking place in the charge office and that the police officer(s) on duty did nothing to intervene in the assault as the group of men (who were) assaulting one man already lying on the ground continued the assault through the entrance portal of the police station into the charge office itself.
A dereliction of duty and an assault in itself on the SAPS slogan of 'protect and serve'.
The failure of trained and equipped police officers to speedily intervene in this assault displays a dereliction of duty to the public and a callous disregard for the rule of law at the most basic level and has most seriously tarnished the image of the police force, at a time when SAPS is under fire in connection with heavy-handed treatment of the public during the COVID19 lockdown.
Safe Citizen looks forward to a speedy investigation into the persons who attacked the man – both outside and inside the police station. We will be writing to the Secretary of Police to express our concerns and to add our voice to the calls for a thorough investigation into the conduct of the police officers on duty.
ENDS
Enquiries pertaining to this statement
- Jonathan Deal - 076-838-5150 - or on WhatsApp / jonathan.deal@safecitizen.co.za