00:00Our gun laws need to be stronger, we need to have a gun court operation at this point
00:05in time, and we have to also be able to equip the police officers with the necessary battle
00:11gears because we are in a battle right now, in the middle of the day persons are shooting
00:17with impunity close to schools, next to groceries, hospitals, no place really appears to be safe.
00:24ASP Dixon observes that criminals are becoming more brazen.
00:27By and large we are seeing where the criminal elements are becoming more and more brazen
00:32and by and large we are seeing where our laws governing the use of firearms are really and
00:40truly, they are weak.
00:43Dixon says that for years the TTPS has noted that firearms are the weapon of choice of
00:48criminals, yet despite the TTPS holding suspects, in too many cases these persons have access
00:54to bail and therefore the potential to commit more crimes.
00:59This he says is leaving the wrong impressions on young minds.
01:03The criminal element has the upper hand, we have to have serious discussions in terms
01:09of what we want achieved because the court system is failing us, the community is failing
01:16us, the family is failing us, the school is failing us, but you know what happened?
01:22With all those failures, we are also saying the police is failing us, but when you look
01:28at the stats, the data of the police bringing persons before the court, that ain't saying that.
01:34He says that the TTPS has been working relentlessly since December 2019 and despite the challenges
01:40faced, increased workloads and even the deaths of 39 officers during the COVID-19 pandemic,
01:48there is rarely any acknowledgement of the hard work and dedication of police officers
01:53in the public sphere.
01:55Our officers cannot be continued to be placed under pressure and expected to perform at
01:59optimal when we are 1400 officers short and the workload continues to amplify and you
02:06expect us to be able to just jump and follow suit and I am going to sing this like a road
02:12march to this day, not an acknowledgement, to this day, not even a validation, to this
02:19day, not a commendation for the officers who worked during that historic period, that cannot
02:24be correct.
02:25As such, he is pleading with the state and all relevant stakeholders to work with the
02:30police service and to provide them with the necessary tools and support needed in the
02:35fight against crime.
02:37He says that the time is now to put aside politics and personal agendas and for this
02:43country to unite and push back against criminal elements.
02:47Alexander Brucewall, TV6 News.
Comments