Dear Editor,
On several occasions I have read the comments coming from the Police Union and I ask myself, don't these people know the impact that good policing has on a country? Where did it go wrong? So questions have to be “What is the purpose of a police force? Who are the police protecting? Who is the police serving?”
That last question might sound ticklish but I believe that those of us who did this since in the seventies do not recognise policing nowadays. And for those of you who are thinking that was then, I say look at the statistics. Go back in the books and see how often there were police strikes or police threatening to strike. No, we contained the strikes and threatening strikes. I cannot recall the police force ever having a public dispute with the Minister of Justice.
Our present Prime Minister who had the choice of two mature police officers and a lawyer who literally campaigned against the then sitting Minister of Justice got the mandate from the people to nominate one of the three as Minister of Justice. But instead of following up he negotiated the Ministry of Justice away for a minister who had very little to no experience in that field.
So what can be done. The books are still there, and it is even easier nowadays. because everything can go on the phone. So even if they can't remember everything, the theoretical part is a fingertip away. With a few experienced instructors and mentors it should not be that strenuous.
I might sound boastful, but when it relates to the police and keeping order in the country, it is the government who makes the laws but the police and other extraordinary police officers who make sure that these laws are carried out.
This is the reason I expect the police to be exemplary because basically they run things. I had already ended this letter when I heard of another fatal accident including a motorcycle.
I do not know what level of pride I would have, being the governor, the prime minister, the prosecutor, the chief of police and possibly even the ombudsman of a piece of land 16 square miles with approximately 50,000 inhabitants and cannot find a solution for the irresponsible manner in which drivers conduct themselves, continuously causing fatal traffic accidents.
Russell A SIMMONS
