Lack of firearm competency contributes to police deaths

The lack of firearm competency and the weapons taken from slain police officers may be a contributing factor to the spike in police deaths. 

According to a reply to a DA parliamentary question, 78 police officers killed both on and off duty in the last 5 financial years, have had their firearms stolen from them. 

Shockingly, 16 of these murdered police officers, or 20%, did not have their firearm competency certificates meaning that they had not gone through the proper refresher courses in handling and using their firearms.

Another reply reveals that 7 800 or 7% of police officers have not completed the prescribed firearm training.  Alarmingly, 60% of the police officers not properly trained have been issued with a gun. 

It is vital that our police men and women are properly trained to use the weapons they carry every day, not only for the safely of the public but also for the police officers own safety. 

The global norm is to have operational members re-qualify in firearm competency twice a year. Unfortunately in our country it is becoming the norm for armed officers not to have a competency certificates to show they have been properly trained to use their firearms.

All South Africans can relate to the feelings of insecurity and the worry we all have for our own safety and that of our families. The government should be doing all they can to ensure that every single one of our police officers are properly trained to do their jobs properly, and to keep South Africans safe.

The DA has repeatedly called for our police officers to be trained properly to protect South Africans but also so that they can protect themselves if necessary. 

Our police service should be efficient and effective and the DA will continue to fight to ensure that our SAPS are well-resourced and appropriately trained.

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 13 October 2015