EDITOR – Much has been made both internationally and nationally about the lack of police resources, in particular vehicles, to protect our people most noticeably our children who have been headline news for all the wrong reasons, not the least of which is the lack of adequate policing.
In October I spent some time at the Hyerama Nursery in Meadowdale, between 12 noon and 1pm, being entertained by the antics of a learner driver reversing, stop-starting, doing u-turns, parallel parking and much more.
But there was one problem: the learner driver was driving a police vehicle, BSG 833 GP, decked to the nines in the latest summer fashions and in the passenger seat sat the proud teacher.
Is this what our police cars are used for, instead of patrolling our streets to protect our citizens. Are our taxes paying for the petrol and, for anyone who has taught someone to drive will agree, replacement clutches, to mention just two of the minor issues that occur when learning to drive.
Finally, is this use of public property which police vehicles are sanctioned by the general public, after all we, the public purchase them, maintain them and even pay their drivers to drive in public interest?
Is this protecting and serving at its best?
MARILYN FORSTER-TOWNE
EDENVALE
Letter received December 4.
EDITOR’S COMMENT – The letter was sent to acting spokesperson for the Edenvale SAPS, Lieutenant Colonel Robbie Roberts for comment.
Lt Col Roberts commented as follows:
The vehicle mentioned in the letter does not belong to the Edenvale SAPS.
The SAPS, however, does make use of marked police vehicles when training members for driving courses, which could be the possibility on the day.
It may have been a vehicle from our training academy that was used to train a learner driver and the instructor could have been a qualified SAPS driving instructor.
The SAPS uses public roads and parking areas to train drivers as a normal instructor would train normal drivers.
