Over 60% Germiston cops can’t handle Firearms

2 March 2017

Germiston residents are at risk of exposure to increasing violent crimes because more than half the police force at the Germiston precinct are not adequately trained to carry firearms to respond to these crimes.

In response to a Parliamentary question I asked, the Minister of Police revealed that 41% of police officers at Germiston, Primrose and Elsburg police stations collectively are not competent to carry firearms. This shocking state of affairs is of concern because of the consistent rise in violent crimes recorded in Germiston for the 2015/16 crime statistics reporting year.

I had asked the Minister about the number of police officers at the three police stations, the number of officers competent to carry firearms including those who had failed their retraining tests. The tally was as follows:

Germiston has seen a sharp increase in contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, robbery with aggravating circumstances and illegal possession of firearms. It is incomprehensible that in such an environment, police officers are unable to use firearms in defence of innocent civilians because of a failure of the police training system.

For instance, in 2016, robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 28%.

Most police officers are desk bound and are of no use in the streets, where they are needed most. This explains why the crime rate for contact crimes has continued to increase.

Now, more than ever, SAPS needs to prioritise the continuous training of police officers in firearms handling. It should not be an optional skill but mandatory for all police recruits.

The DA calls on the Minister, the MEC for Safety and Security in Gauteng and the Provincial Commissioner to urgently respond to the operational deficiency at the Germiston precinct so as to guarantee the safety of residents.

Issued by Mike Waters, DA Constituency Head: Lethabong, 2 March 2017