Police union celebrates pivotal reforms to boost officer morale

BEYOND SAPS detectives, three specialised groups, namely K9 handlers, mounted patrol officers, and armourers, will at last see their roles reflected in a formal rank structure, which could mark a turning point, said the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) on Friday.

- ZAINUL DAWOOD

Popcru President Thulani Ngwenya described a joint meeting in Pretoria with the Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu, and the SAPS leadership as a milestone in South Africa's criminal justice landscape.

Ngwenya said the largest union in the criminal justice cluster, Popcru, was instrumental in securing a host of reforms aimed at improving working conditions, addressing rank stagnation, and boosting morale across the police service.

He said this included the scrapping of the controversial expeditious dismissal process, new promotion pathways for officers and civilian staff, and the reopening of enlistment for experienced former members.

Mchunu discussed issues related to human resources in the police and strategies for improvement.

He said that in April, the SAPS convened the National Policing Summit under the theme: Efficiency In Action: Optimising South Africa's Policing Potential.

“The summit brought together key stakeholders and role-players in policing and crime prevention. From it emerged a number of outcomes which are already being implemented. I want to assure the public that we will keep them informed on our progress every step of the way.”