Killing of Sir Lowry Police Officer Condemned | Western Cape Government

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Killing of Sir Lowry Police Officer Condemned

25 February 2015

Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety

It is with great sadness that I have learned of yet another brave police officer killed while on duty and I condemn this callous attack on the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the strongest possible terms.

I extend my sincerest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the Somerset West police station Constable who lost his life in defence of his injured partner and in service of the community.

The death of the perpetrator serves as little justice to those grieving a Constable who risked his life on a daily basis, in an area known as dangerous among SAPS officials themselves.

This past weekend I marched in solidarity with the Provincial Community Policing Forum (CPF) against the various incidents of police killings that have occurred in our province in the past year.

It is clear that more needs to be done to protect our brave men and women in blue.

I call on the public to assist our SAPS members in performing their duties, and support those that diligently protect us.

We need a whole-of-society approach in order to do away with the notion that criminals can dare attack or kill a police officer. I further call on the public to forward any ideas or suggestions of what can be done to combat attacks on police directly to my office by emailing safer@westerncape.gov.za.

Death of police members while on duty unfortunately remains a risk which all our officers face on a daily basis. We, as a society, however cannot allow these acts, which used to be an anomaly, to become a way of life.

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