Shake-up leaves cops in dark
2007-01-15 23:44
Sanri van Wyk and Jeanne-Marie Versluis
Bloemfontein - The restructuring of the entire country's police management system has left some officers without a clue as to which police station they must report to next Monday.
Political parties have voiced their criticism of the planned nationwide restructuring, and the closure of specialised units that have dealt with serious and violent crime.
Police management has given the assurance that change will take place with the least possible disruption for officers and their families.
Acting national spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo has confirmed that the serious and violent crime units are all being disbanded.
The area units for crime prevention, protection of children and units against organised crime will be restructured.
Skills audit forms
Although affected officers in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have to report to their new offices by Monday, January 22, Naidoo admitted that not all of them had been informed yet.
"Some of the officers have been informed, and the process to inform others is unfolding. We expect to get word to everyone by the end of the week."
It means that certain police staff will have just a weekend to prepare for the move.
Staff were asked to complete skills audit forms.
Naidoo said: "We decided in this way what their skills were and how we could best deploy them where they were most needed."
Naidoo said the personal circumstances of police and improved delivery were taken into account.
"Staff are placed as close as possible to their loved ones, so that they don't have to move house."