Mthethwa: Improve communication

2010-08-30 20:08

Cape Town - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has urged police officers to "improve their communications skills" in fighting crime.

"As the police leadership, our view is that effective communications should not be seen as a function and responsibility of the police leadership and management only, but that it should be a responsibility of each and every police officer within the force," Mthethwa said in reply to a Parliamentary question published on Monday.

Through various public participation programmes, the ministry had learnt in the past of "various instances" where the police had failed to effectively communicate, creating the impression that they were "not proactive".

"You have instances where police search for some of the most dangerous criminals, succeed in arresting them and such criminals get sent to jail for many years," Mthethwa said.

"However, police still fail to go back to society to communicate such positive breakthroughs and outcomes. At the end of the day, due to this lack of communication, such vulnerable communities still remain susceptible and under the impression that the suspects are still at large."

- SAPA