Africa-Press – Namibia. NAMIBIAN POLICE chief inspector general Joseph Shikongo has warned police officers to stop using maximum force when dealing with civilians.
Shikongo said this in an interview with The Namibia on Tuesday as cases of police officers assaulting civilians are mounting. He said police officers who have assaulted civilians while on duty have been arrested and charged.
“These are cases such as the one at Gwashamba Mall at Ondangwa and a recent one at Keetmanshoop. People are insulting police officers during patrols, but we are condoning the violation of citizens’ rights,” Shikongo said.
He said, however, cases such as that of Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters activist Michael Amushelelo “instructing” the //Kharas regional police commander during a protest on Monday should not be tolerated.
Both the police and the public must refrain from such conduct, he said.
Shikongo said using maximum force when dealing with civilians, especially on a non-violent person, is unnecessary.
“The issue of the two police officers who were manhandling a civilian at Gwashamba Mall in December last year was unnecessary.
“It was just an issue of them handcuffing the person and putting him in the car. We have a police manual guiding officers when it comes to the use of force,” Shikongo said.
“The use of force must be necessary. It must be to a minimum. You can only use it when you have to defend your life or that of another person.
“Let the person be handcuffed for safety purposes. But if someone is not violent, just say okay, get in the car, and go,” he said.
INTENSIFIED TRAINING
He said the police need to retrain officers.“Our officers lack some things. We are going to continue by intensifying our training to ensure all officers are well trained,” Shikongo said.
He said criminal charges will be brought against officers who deliberately transgress the law.
“If you are angry, you must control your emotions. Police officers must investigate a case and not a person, and you only link a suspect to a case, not a crime to a person,” he said.
Shikongo said the police should also engage in community outreaches to educate the public on law-enforcement matters.
“When I was at Oshikango last week, there was a lack of information. People don’t understand. They think we are just controlling contraband, but when I gave them the statistics, they asked for a monthly engagement,” he said.
Shikongo urged police officers to always carry official documents when on duty.
“If a person wants to be sure you are a police officer, you must take out your appointment certificate, your pocketbook and your force number,” he said.
Shikongo said Amushelelo some days ago while protesting at a restaurant in Windhoek asked a warrant officer when he was born, which was unnecessary.
“Arrests do not have an age group. As long as it is a police officer who went through policing and has met all requirements, any police officer can arrest you,” he said.
“It is not wrong for citizens to demand that officers present their credentials during arrests. However, we are calling on the public to not ask police officers their age, region or whatsoever. That is not important,” he said.
Shikongo urged the public not to run away from police officers as the police will end up chasing them.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
