Police officer death is a sad reminder

Flying squad member, Sergeant Willy Ndlazi, was sadly laid to rest last week. He died, literally, with his boots on after a shootout with criminals on the N2 just outside Empangeni.

His death robbed him of the sacred right to life, and brought sadness and grief to a huge circle of family, friends and colleagues.

All spoke in glowing terms of a wonderful human being with a generosity of spirit that touched many lives.

The attack vividly illustrated the lack of respect for the entire system of law and order, and the daily contempt for life in general.

The public is often extremely vocal in its criticism of the police, forgetting that they – and their families - are just as vulnerable to crime as any other member of society, perhaps even more so as they often become targets.

There are very few husbands and wives who say goodbye to their partners and children in the morning, not knowing if they will ever see them again.

Those who enjoy circulating video clips showing police members drunk, or sleeping at their desks or stopping to shop in a police van, seem oblivious to the fact that this does not represent the vast majority of dedicated, loyal and hardworking officers.

It is noted that Sgt Ndlazi’s colleagues arrested one of the fugitives in the early morning hours, while most of us were enjoying a night’s sleep with our families.

The reality is that most uniformed members and detectives work long, tiring days.

They are overloaded with cases, are poorly paid, spend hours tracking suspects and giving evidence in court, and operate in a dangerous underworld few but their own would fully understand.

They are prepared to risk their lives to keep us safe; and sometimes that possible risk becomes reality.

Sgt Ndlazi’s passing reminds us of that.

Rather than being praised for being prepared to face violent criminals head-on, these poorly paid, under-resourced and brave men and women are branded along with those who taint the image of the police service.

We ought to pray daily, thanking serving police for their selfless devotion to duty and their bravery, and for their protection as they tackle the hostile element that has long since intensified from ‘criminals’ to organised crime syndicates.