North West police are investigating allegations that a police officer was drunk on duty.
Chelsea Ogilvie/News24
Police are investigating a video on social media which reportedly shows a group of people accusing an on-duty,uniformed North West police officer of being under the influence of alcohol.
The provincial police commissioner ordered the immediate investigation of the allegations,according to police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone.
“These allegations cannot and should not be taken lightly as they are damaging to the integrity and professional image of the SAPS,further contributing to the trust deficit between the police and the community,” Mokgwabone said.
“It is therefore important that such allegations must be investigated expeditiously which will require the cooperation of all the witnesses.”
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Mokgwabone added that police were looking to speak to two members of the Patriotic Alliance and Operation Dudula who had travelled from Gauteng to support the group in Bethanie.
“Efforts have been made by talking to locals to obtain evidence and it has been indicated that the two are the best placed to help unravel the allegations against the police officer,” said Mokgwabone.
“The two possible witnesses are further advised that making and publicising information of such a serious nature without reporting it to the relevant authorities may result in them being charged with defeating or obstructing the course of justice.”
Last month,KwaZulu-Natal police said they would take disciplinary steps against an officer who was captured on video driving a marked police vehicle that had a missing driver’s side door.
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The video was taken after the police vehicle was involved in an accident with a minibus taxi in Durban North. The driver at the time of the accident was a female warrant officer. She was trapped inside the vehicle and the door had to be removed to rescue her.
Another officer then drove the doorless vehicle to a police station.
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