Policeman’s rash and dangerous action lands him in hot water

The officer, who cannot be named until he has appeared in court, has been charged with malicious damage to property and discharging a firearm.

Provincial police spokesperson, Brig Leonard Hlathi, confirmed the incident and said the matter is being investigated by the Internal Police Investigative Directorate.

It is alleged the police officer had locked some keys in the government-issued vehicle parked at the police station in the city.

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The rear left passenger window was shot.

When Lowvelder went to the parking lot on Tuesday morning, the vehicle was still there, its back window covered in sticky tape and shattered glass still on the floor.

“This officer could have killed himself or a member of the public. What he did was completely incompetent and unacceptable,” said SCMS Training and Operations Nelspruit CEO, Shaun Nieuwenhuizen.

Nieuwenhuizen, a CIT and security manager with 24 years’ experience in the industry, said the officer’s actions were not only a risk to him, but to all the members of the public within the vicinity of the parking lot.

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“Using a rock would have done the same job and would have been much safer. The officer should have known that discharging his firearm at the car window was dangerous and illegal.” Nieuwenhuizen added that the bullet could have pierced the petrol tank and might have led to an explosion.

“I just cannot believe the incompetence of this officer. I am 100 per cent sure the police training centres do not tell or teach officers to shoot at their windows if they lock their keys in the car.”

According to section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000, a person becomes unfit to possess a firearm if convicted of an offence such as:

• Any crime or offence involving the unlawful use or handling of a firearm, whether the firearm was used or handled by that person or by another participant in that offence

• An offence involving the negligent handling or loss of a firearm while the firearm was in his or her possession or under his or her direct control

• An offence involving the handling of a firearm while under the influence of any substance that has an intoxicating or narcotic effect

• Any other crime or offence in the commission of which a firearm was used, whether the firearm was used or handled by that person or by another participant in the offence.

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