Police and Farm Murders

SAFETY AND SECURITY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
4 April 2001
FARM AND POLICE MURDERS: SAPS BRIEFING

Chairperson: Mr M E George

Relevant Documents:
Murders and Attacks on Police Officials, SAPS presentation (see Appendix)

SUMMARY
[Ed: PMG did not attend the whole of this meeting]

A SAPS Superintendent gave statistics on motives for police murders. Members found the research unsatisfactorily inconclusive and asked the presenter for more "concrete" information.

A Directorate of Police Safety representative said cause of off-duty police murders is the social behaviour of off-duty officers. They do not conceal their firearms in drinking places. The causes of on-duty police murders were "negligence and ignorance". Officers often overlook their own safety. In addition there are not enough radios for the police. There are not even enough handcuffs and torches to equip officers.

MINUTES
The SAPS presenter, Superintendent T Jooste, reviewed the statistics from her research into farm and police murders. The research asked police, perpetrators and selected "focus groups" about motives for police murders. The statistics attempted, among other things, to identify the most common motives for police murders. These appeared to be resisting arrest, escaping from custody, and robbery.

Discussion
A member asked why the statistics showed such a significant variation between attacks on female and male police officers, in that female officers are not being attacked.

Superintendent Jooste responded that the female officers' firearms are more concealed, so they are attacked less.

Chairperson George asked then why do not the male officers conceal their weapons.

Superintendent Jooste responded because they don't have handbags.

Adv Swart (DP) asked if the motives listed in the statistics were in any order of priority.

Mr Pheko (PAC) asked if an officer's appointment certificate has a photo. He wondered why these would be stolen.

Superintendent Jooste responded the cards do have photos.

A member said the statistics seemed to be inconsistent.

Another said the number of murders with political motives seemed to be too high. He asked what the political motives could be.

Superintendent Jooste agreed the number is high but said this particular statistic was not recent.

Mr Booi (ANC) asked Superintendent Jooste to put aside the statistics he called "confusing" and just tell the Committee what is happening to police officers and who is attacking them.

Chairperson George agreed with Mr Booi. He wondered if attacks on police officers were due to a lack of respect. He asked for concrete answers.

Mr Booi continued that during Apartheid, when police officers were attacked, they knew why. This is no longer the case. He said if Superintendent Joostee thought the research was inadequate, she should say so. If not, he asked her to say something "concrete". He asked her not to give the Committee "speculations" but to give them insight into what is happening so they can develop strategies to face the problems.

Mr Ndlovu (IFP) agreed with Mr Booi.

Director Van Staden of the Directorate of Police Safety then spoke on police murders and how the Directorate is combatting it. He said officers need on-going and particularly tactical training. He said between 1994 and 1999, 1 410 South African police officers were murdered. Of these, 63% were off duty.

The cause of off-duty police murders is the social behaviour of off-duty officers. They do not conceal their firearms in drinking places.

Director Van Staden said the causes of on-duty police murders were "negligence and ignorance". Often, in their eagerness to prevent a crime, officers overlook their own safety. They also neglect to wear their bullet-proof vests. In addition there are not enough radios for the police. There are not even enough handcuffs and torches to equip officers.

[PMG did not attend the meeting after this point].

APPENDIX
SAPS submitted the following information on attacks on farms and smallholdings:

Compared to 1999 the incidents of attacks on farms and smallholdings stabilised during 2000, with an unsignificantly small increase.

The provinces most affected during 2000 were Gauteng (must still be verified), KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Noteworthy is that the number of attacks on farms and smallholdings in Mpumalanga escalated considerably compared to the figures for 1999. Other increases were reported in the Western Cape, North West Province, Northern Cape, Kwa-Zulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.

The number of murders committed during attacks on farms and smallholdings actually decreased slightly, compared to 1999. The provinces most affected during 2000 were KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape and Free State Province. The remainder of the provinces revealed a significant decrease in the number of murders committed on farms and smallholdings.

The stabilisation could possibly be the result of the continuing implementation of the Rural Safety Plan, but should also be seen against the background of the increasing emphasis placed on the awareness of rural safety and the high media coverage these attacks are attracting.

Definition: Attacks on Farms and Smallholdings

The definition of attacks on farms and smallholdings refers to acts aimed against the person of residents, of workers at and/or visitors to farms or smallhodlings, whether with the intent to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm (cases related to domestic violence, drunkenness or resulting from commonplace social interaction between people - where victims and offenders are often known to one another - were excluded from the analysis). In addition to the above, all actions aimed at disrupting farming activities as a commercial concern, whether for motives related to ideology, labour disputes, land issues, revenge, grievances or racist concerns, like intimidation, were also considered.

MURDERS AND ATTACKS ON POLICE OFFICIALS
PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE: 2001-04-04

1. National Multi-Disciplinary Committee was appointed on 20 May 1999.

2. On 01 December 1999 the Directorate: Police Safety has been established to prevent murders and attacks on police officials with the following operational functions:
- The development of preventative measures against the attacks on and murder of SAPS members.
- The development of appropriate strategies, guidelines, policies and standards to address the attacks on and murder of SAPS members.
- The monitoring of the implementation of the set preventative measures.
- The liaison with relevant internal- and external role-players.
- The visiting of relevant crime scenes to determine crime patterns for the attacks on and murder of SAPS members.
- The evaluation of set strategies, guidelines, policies and standards at relevant crime scenes.
- The maintenance of a data base.
- The submitting of management information.
- The maintenance/implementation of a support system for members and families of members that were attacked or murdered.
- The establishment of community support structures.

Actions taken/implemented by Police Safety to prevent murders and attacks of police officers:

3.1. TRAINING
- Tactical and Firearm Training Guardian Committee.
- Revised all existing tactical and firearm training.
- New formal training material for Tactical Policing Courses(30 March 2001).
- On-the-job training mechanisms (Preventative Survival Tactics).
- Tactical Training officers (on-the-job training at every police station).

3.2. ASSESSMENT OF POLICE STATIONS IN FLASH POINT PROVINCES
- National Crime Combating Forum(NCCF) mandated the assessment at the following police stations:
Vosloorus and Kagiso (Gauteng), Nyanga (Western Cape), Umtata and Willowmore (Eastern Cape), Ulundi and Durban Central (Kwazulu Natal).
- Identify the causes for murders and attacks and the shortcomings.

GENERIC CAUSES IDENTIFIED:
ON DUTY
Ignorance/negligence of police officials whilst performing duties - dedicated police officers (officers are not safeguarding themselves whilst performing functional tasks)

A small percentage of functional police officials underwent the SWAT training

Not sufficient logistical equipment:
- do not have handcuffs and those who have, do not utilise it;
- not sufficient bullet proof vests (even where vests are available, they do not wear it);
- not sufficient torches to work at night;
- not sufficient reflective jackets and road block equipment;
- lack of radio communication (especially hand radios)

Absence of the traditional parade inspection when shifts report on duty.
No sensitising of members that they are targets.
No shooting exercises and subsequent very old ammunition.

OFF DUTY
Social activities in the vicinity/at drinking places.
Carrying of firearms not concealed when off duty.
Lack of awareness

3.2.1. Actions after assessment at police stations:
- Issue instructions with regard to command and control (Inspection Parades, restraining methods, visiting of police cells);
- Activate the Helping Professions (Psychologists, Social Workers and Spiritual Services) to address alcohol abuse and debriefings;
- Channel the logistical shortcomings and problematic issues to Division: Logistics (handcuffs, bullet proof vests, holsters, torches, reflective jackets, road block equipment and radio communication);
- Issue instructions with regard to hand cuffs, batons and torches;
- Physical security assessment of police premisses;
- Community Policing Forum (Community support mechanisms);
- National guidelines to be followed during the Local Government Elections (Dec 2000).

3.3. ASSESSMENT OF MURDER AND ROBBERY UNITS
August 2000 - assessed the quality of investigations.

3.4. VEHICLE ARMOURING COMMITTEE
10 August 2000 - Committee appointed to investigate the armouring of "soft skin" vehicles.

3.5. PROVINCIAL PLANS TO PREVENT MURDERS AND ATTACKS
November 2000 - personal visits to each province (meetings with the provincial management)

Sensitise provincial management on:
- Officer safety responsibility;
- Alcohol awareness;
- Shooting exercises;
- Tactical training and trainers;
- Community involvement.

Practical Provincial Plan
- Provide each province with guidelines;
- Plans must be compiled and submitted by end April 2001.

3.6. DRESS ORDER
Submit extensive recommendations to equip female officers with practical uniform (operational).

3.7. CASE STUDIES
Case studies completed ( crime scene assessments for on duty murders)

3.8. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION MECHANISMS
- POL TV
- UNIONS

1. SAFEGUARDING HINTS TO ALL POLICE OFFICIALS:
The following aspects are important in the safety environment:
- Wear your bullet proof vests;
- Constantly be aware of your vulnerability as a police officer;
- Always be alert, aware and observant of your surroundings;
- Remember that the safety of yourself and your colleagues come first - don't act or react impulsively or negligent on situations;
- Apply the correct tactical procedures when, for example, arresting a suspect, searching vehicles, premisses and suspects;
- Ensure that your personal policing accoutrements are in a sound mechanical order;
- Stay away from drinking places when off duty and issued with an official firearm;
- Wear your firearm concealed when off duty.