No limit set on number of future volunteers

ACTING national police commissioner General Khomotso Phahlane has urged members of the public in good standing to join the SAPS as reservists, in a bid to make up for perilous manpower shortages.

New national figures show an increase in crime from murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances and common assault.

The murder rate in the country increased by 4.9% for the period 2015-16, according to the latest crime statistics that Phahlane released in September.

There are currently 2 031 police reservists in the Eastern Cape.

Interested members of the public with no criminal record can visit their nearest police station to apply.

The Daily Dispatch understands the SAPS will target employed candidates, as it does not want to create false hope of permanent employment among unemployed people.

Applications from journalists, political activists, soldiers, bouncers, taxi drivers, private investigators and liquor traders will not be considered.

The province’s best police reservist with five awards to his name, Constable Dan Tomodi, said they were looking for true patriots.

“Our job is to protect and serve the people of this country. If you want to be considered a good reservist, you must love this job from the heart and not do it for the sake of doing it,” Tomodi said.

Volunteer reservists will work at least 16 days a month and do a minimum of two hours work a day.

“There is really no difference between a full-time police officer and a reservist because we do the same job – we even wake up at midnight to respond to crime,” Tomodi said.

The acting commissioner’s spokeswoman, Brigadier Mashadi Selepe, said they were not looking for a limited number of people to join, but all with an interest in joining should come forward.

Interested candidates would then be screened to make sure they met