When drug arrests go up it
means other crime goes up too. It’s a standard correlation across the world…but
not in Knysna. Why is Knysna the exception? Why is Knysna SAPS so special?
Part of it, as i’ve spoken
about before, is the dumbing down of statistics i.e. aggravated assault
downgraded to common assault etc.
The second is
that people have so hopelessly lost faith in the police that many don’t report
smaller crimes anymore.
The third is drugs. Tik and heroin abuse is up but that’s not what i’m referring to. It’s
marijuana…but this is a different kind of ganja talk. Any long-time resident in
Knysna knows that drugs, especially marijuana, is freely and readily
available in the taxi rank in between Shoprite Checkers and Checkers. It is
quite common for me to be offered it 3 times as i walk the one block from Grey
Street to Woodmill lane. I don’t buy but i don’t mind because i don’t believe
that marijuana is a gateway drug (it’s not a physically addictive) and no one i
have ever known has committed violence whilst stoned. But that debate is for
another day.
The issue is that Knysna
police have increased their arrests, and falsely increased their tough-on-crime
prestige, by targeting harmless citizens.
Their modus operandi is to
stake out a dealer, see who buys their 20 bucks worth, follow them and arrest
them out of the area, even in nearby shopping centres. Someone witnessed a man
being arrested and their Captain turning up to check on their status for the
day. Allegedly, our proud Knysna SAPS informed their Captain that they had
reached their third of 5 expected arrests for the morning and even
mentioned which drug dealer they’d being staking out (i’ll leave out that
name).
This sounds a lot like the
hidden traffic camera scam. Instead of arresting the dealer, they’re easily
upping their arrest statistics by aiming for misdemeanours instead of serious
crime.
It’s pathetic, lazy and
cowardly…and why dangerous crime will continue to increase in Knysna.
It’s also against the law
which makes every Knysna policeman participating in quota arrests a
criminal.
BIG PS: This topic has been
the talk of the town before but let me remind you of a Katherine Wilkinson’s
2010 article, Knysna Police Ordered to Meet Arrest Quotas (they may keep changing the Colonel but they stop playing musical
chairs):
Knysna police say they have been ordered to
meet quotas for arrests, with one member having gone so far as to make out a
sworn affidavit to that effect.
Although police have asked not to be named as they are fearful of
repercussions, this reporter has seen a full copy of the affidavit and was then
given a copy in which details identifying the policeman who wrote it have been
removed.
In the affidavit, he stated he was called into the police station and
told all Knysna police officers have to meet arrest quotas:
He said he was told that “all four shifts at the station have to arrest
± 200 ‘B’ crimes, 15 drug related crimes and 12 drunken driving so he is asking
me to participate in this as I am behind and may be charged with Regulation 64
if I fail to meet my targets per month (sic).”
He stated that he told his officer he was busy with complaints and that
he had conducted “some stop and searches” with “no luck”.
“He then told me that other people have done it and that I just have to
do better.”
A further two Knysna policemen who also spoke on condition of anonymity,
confirmed the arrest quota system in Knysna.
One said, “Quotas for arrests has been going on for years now. I
don’t believe in it because you are not doing it for the sake of society.
Statistics are a good thing, but they are there to guide you on how to police
properly. The police have made statistics the alpha and omega of crime
fighting.”
His colleague said: “The quota system is in place, for a long time, for
a hell of a long time.”
The practice of arrest quotas is specifically condemned in the SAPS
Criminal Procedure Act.
South African Police Union (SAPU) Secretary of the Western Cape, Billy
Daniels said on Thursday the matter of arrest quotas had been taken up with the
Knysna police station about four years ago, but not recently. He said he
understood the practice had ceased.
“It has never been raised with me recently. I spoke to the shop steward
at Knysna and the area shop steward, they are completely unaware there has been
any problem like that.”
SAPS Southern Cape spokesperson, Captain Malcolm Pojie said he would
need to get legal advice before answering any questions on the topic.
Police Internal Complaints Directorate (ICD) spokesperson Moses Dlamini
said the ICD was not aware of the practice.
“It would be helpful for the police officer to make himself available
for an interview with the ICD with a view to get more details and to determine
what course of action should be taken in this matter.”
Western Cape MEC for Safety and Security Lennit Max’s spokesperson, Jo
Lennox said, “The Minister’s response re the officer’s claim is that it’s a
serious allegation as it goes against the objective of policing which is the
prevention of crime.
“In order for him to take the matter up with the Provincial Police
Commissioner he will need to see the affidavit and the officer’s name must be
disclosed.
“He can then take the matter up with General (Mzwandile) Petros.”
The Knysna police station is under investigation by the ICD in
connection with the alleged rape of a Plettenberg Bay guest house owner by
police on February 6. She said she was raped in a police vehicle while being
held down by a second policeman. She said she managed to escape while the
policemen were swopping places. To date no arrests have been made.
She said she had been told by “senior officers of the police in Knysna”
that police knew the identity of the “culprits” based on identikits she had
helped to compile.
“But not one of them is willing to come forward as a witness or to say a
single thing of the events of that night.
“Apparently, they have been instructed not to talk about the incident at
all.”
One of the policemen involved in the investigation feared for his
safety, she claimed.
“A police member involved with the investigation has advised me that he
trusts nobody in the Knysna Police Services and that he fears for his life and
that of his family.”
Furthemore, while in Knysna during March to
investigate the alleged rape, the ICD arrested three Knysna policemen for
murder.
Dlamini said at the time, “The ICD has arrested three police officers
who are based at Knysna police station for murder…the deceased died in hospital
from injuries sustained during arrest by police officers from Knysna police
station.”
