By Paul Nyathi|POLICE Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga has banned police from eating, smoking and even putting hands in their pockets while in uniform and in public.
Commissioner Matanga made the ruling while addressing senior police officers at the Police Protection Unit (PPU) in Harare on Friday as he announced measures to realign the police services to what he described as “going back to basics.”
“Acts of walking with hands in pockets, carrying bags while in police in uniform, are now the norm rather than exception,” said Commissioner General Matanga.
The General took swipe at police officers who have developed a habit of spending time on social media while in police uniforms at work and travelling to and from work in civilian clothing.
“Some members unashamedly spend most of their time swiping on their phones even in circumstances where a high level of alertness is demanded. That has to be corrected.”
“Across all provinces where police uniforms are worn junior members have of late developed a practice of putting on civilian attire when they travel to and from work. I do not know why members shun police uniform.
“I really wonder whether this stems from their failure to appreciate the effect of police visibility to the prevention of crime. This practice should cease forthwith. Corrective action should be preferred against anyone doing so without sufficient cause of leave of the superiors,” he said.
He warned police against engaging in corruption and exhorted discipline.
“I am reliably informed that the distribution of police uniforms was being done in an opaque manner that borders on corruption. Resultantly, some so called ‘connected’ members continued to access uniforms to the prejudice of others.
“On this note, I am pleased to inform you that I have since instituted measures to ensure transparency. I urge you to report all underhand dealings which take place in the distribution of resources. Corrupt individuals should be exposed to allow decisive action to be taken,” said Comm-Gen Matanga
“We cannot condone deeds that debase our organisation like that. The onus is therefore upon all of us to collectively take bold steps that put a stop to such disgusting practices which apparently are alien to our police discipline. We certainly cannot continue normalising the abnormal,” added Comm-Gen Matanga.
He said the ongoing restructuring exercise was meant to ensure the ZRP has personnel devoted to their work.
Comm-Gen Matanga said some posts would be abolished while other sections would be trimmed.
Those performing duplicate roles would be disbanded.
He said he was alive to the challenges facing the ZRP like shortage of vehicles, accommodation and unserviceable communication equipment.
Comm-Gen Matanga pledged to lobby for increased fiscal support to address some of the challenges.
The meeting was attended by the officer commanding PPU Senior Assistant Commissioner Lee Muchemwa and senior police officers.