‘Your Time Is Up’: Limpopo Police Chief Warns Officers Working With Criminals At Beitbridge
Limpopo police commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers has put officers allegedly working with criminals on notice, warning that he could quickly turn their blue police uniforms into the orange clothing worn by prisoners.
Scheepers delivered the unusually direct warning at a law enforcement gathering near the Beitbridge border, making it clear that corruption within the police force would be pursued alongside the criminals officers are supposed to arrest.
“I am the new sheriff in town and I will make sure that no Police officer is connected to criminals during my tenure as Police Commissioner. Look how beautiful you are in your blue uniform. If you work with criminals, it will take me just a few minutes to exchange your blue uniform into an orange one,” warned Scheepers.
Also Read: Tough times for Zimbabweans: South Africa Tightens Beitbridge Border Controls
Crime Intelligence Being Compromised
The commissioner said police were receiving information from members of the community about criminal activity, but some officers were allegedly undermining those reports by tipping off suspects.
He said authorities already had information pointing to officers who help criminals escape arrest after cases are reported.
“We already have information that when community members report crime to Police, corrupt officers make sure that the criminals evade arrests. We are coming for you, it is just a matter of time before we arrest you. The information from the community should be handled with confidentiality because it helps us to crack down on criminals,” said Scheepers.
Scheepers, who has been in the provincial post for about two months, said officers involved in criminal activities should stop before they were caught.
“Better leave it now (criminal activities) because if we find you, we will set an example with you that we can deal with corrupt members who contribute towards the increase of crime in our society,” warned Scheepers.
Police Need The Public
Beyond the threat of arrests, Scheepers highlighted the damage corruption can cause to the relationship between police and the communities they serve.
He said people must be able to report crimes without fearing that the information they provide will reach the very suspects they are helping police to identify.
“The information from the community should be handled with confidentiality because it helps us to crack down on criminals. If Police officers are the ones who disclose the information to criminals, it means we have a serious problem because the public will no longer have trust on us. We must work hard to gain public trust because that would result into safer communities for all of us.”
Security Teams Inspect Borderline
The warning was issued as several law enforcement agencies prepared for a joint operation targeting security challenges along the borderline.
Representatives from the SAPS, Border Management Authority, SANDF and Department of Home Affairs took part in the exercise, which began with a parade at the Musina Weigh Bridge near the Beitbridge Port of Entry.
BMA Port Commander Ntakuseni Lambani later demonstrated the use of drone technology to monitor different areas along the border.
The delegation also walked along sections of the borderline to assess conditions on the ground and identify possible improvements to security arrangements.
The Beitbridge area has long faced challenges linked to cross-border criminal activity, making cooperation between law enforcement agencies and reliable information from communities important to efforts to combat crime.
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