Cops waiting to be shot dead

Johannesburg - Police officials are waiting to be shot dead because their training to make it on the streets is inadequate.

This is the view of police sources, who reacted angrily after three more police members were shot dead in Soweto and Cape Town last week.

They think the statement by the office of the national commissioner Jackie Selebi, that "enough is being done" to see to it that police officials are not shot dead while on duty, is a farce.

One-day course

Police spokesperson director Selby Bokaba said that since April 2005, all police officials have had to complete a one-day street survival course to make sure they can protect themselves and the public.

The worried police sources said the course "was not even coming close " to ensuring officers can survive on the street.

One Gauteng police instructor said: "The course comprises basic firearm competency, such as required from civilians to have a firearm licence. They aren't taught how to think tactically about how they work in the field.

"Their shooting ability is very poor and robbers know it. The guys who are trained fail the course, but we have to keep on testing them until they pass."

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