'Unsuitable' police to guard stations

2012-04-02 09:30

Johannesburg - Colonels and detectives are among 325 "unsuitable" North West police officials who will be redeployed to guard police station gates in April, Beeld reported on Monday.

The order, which takes effect on Wednesday, was announced in a letter from the provincial police head office dated last Monday, the newspaper reported.

The police officials concerned were those who could not carry firearms.

They would be expected to take over the duties of security companies, whose contracts would not be renewed when they expired on April 1.

The police officials affected include those who suffer from epilepsy, post-traumatic stress syndrome, bipolar disorder, depression or other psychiatric illnesses.

Those who have been found guilty of domestic violence, attempted murder or who have attempted suicide are also on the list.

R700 000 saving

One of the officers listed was blind, Beeld reported.

Provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Thulane Ngubane told the newspaper a national decision had been taken to not renew security companies' contracts.

"We will use our own members to perform those duties," he said.

The North West police department hoped the measure would save it R700 000 a month.

Beeld reported that some of the police officers on the list were threatening to take legal action if they were forced to work as guards.

"We're easy targets. How are we going to stay safe, especially when we are required to guard places at night? I feel that they're targeting people with problems and it's unfair," said one of the policemen.

- SAPA