Police lack firearms competencies
Thousands are unable to use guns or not licensed to do so
THE Police in the Western Cape are sitting with 4 556 police officers who either cannot use a firearm properly or are not licensed to use one. DA provincial spokesperson on community safety Mireille Wenger said replies to her parliamentary questions reveal that during the 2017/2018 financial year, 4 556 SAPS officers failed to complete their firearms competency tests in the Western Cape. She was speaking at a press conference yesterday.
“In addition, the shooting range complex is not fully operational and has experienced a shortage of ammunition. The total number of Police Act personnel (active operational officers) in the Western Cape stood at 16 467 as of June 2017. This means that 4 556 SAPS officers during the 2017/2018 financial year did not complete their firearm competency, which equates to 27.6%. This would imply that just over a quarter of operational SAPS officers did not complete firearm competencies.” Wenger said it was the highest number of officers not completing the competency tests in the last three years.
“In 2015/16, the number stood at 3 979, which improved slightly in 2016/17 to 3 101 and then worsened last year to 4 556. The implications of not completing competency tests are severe. SAPS members who are not yet competent in the use of a firearm and legal principles are generally instructed to hand in their firearms, which means cops with no guns.” Wenger said a contributing factor was that there is only one SAPS firing range in the province.
“And this single firing range is experiencing a shortage in ammunition. It is deeply disturbing to learn that the only shooting range in the province is not even fully operational due to a lack of ammunition and safety issues that still need to be rectified.
“It is essential for operational police officers to possess firearms, practise their marksmanship and ensure their firearm competency. The effect of not pursuing this is that police officers could be fearful to enter crime-ridden communities because they do not possess the equipment required to protect themselves, let alone the communities that are in need of their services.” Police management had failed to ensure that thousands of police officers are, in fact, fit to use their guns. It put all residents of South Africa in danger.
“This is extremely alarming and wholly unacceptable. I will therefore instruct the provincial standing committee on community safety that an oversight visit be conducted at the shooting facility.”Asked if recent police killings had anything to do with the competency of police using firearms, she said: “It is difficult to say whether the two are linked. If officers die during shoot-outs it could be, but we know criminals are in search of officers’ firearms,” she said.