South African Police Service Members Research Articles

A Temporal Assessment of Burglary at Residential Premises in the Newlands East Policing Precint

Knowing when crimes occur most predominantly in a specific area, such as which hour/s of the day, which day/s of the week, or which month/s of the year, is fundamental for the formulation of crime prevention strategies. This information facilitates operational as well as tactical resource deployment in areas at times when they are needed the most. This article aimed to contribute to this knowledge by exploring when most residential burglaries occurred in the Newlands East policing precinct in the Durban area. This was deemed necessary as residential burglary had been reported as the highest property-related crime in the study area for the 5-year period (2015–2019) preceding the study. To ensure that the aim of this study was achieved, a qualitative research design was utilized which assisted the researcher to focus on the temporal assessment of burglary at residential premises in the Newlands East policing precinct. Data collection was achieved by means of Focus Group Discussions and semi-structured interviews that involved a total of 37 participants comprising of South African Police Service members, Community Policing Forum representatives, local Ward councillors, and ordinary community members. The overall results suggest that the Newlands area experiences fluctuations in the frequency of residential burglaries throughout the year by hour, day, week, month, and season. This information can inform policymakers and law enforcement agents on when to implement crime prevention strategies.

Experiences of community policing forum members in liaison with SAPS, private security and community members regarding community policing

ABSTRACT Community policing plays a pivotal role both nationally and internationally in the reduction of crime. The purpose of this study is to highlight how community policing forum (CPF) members experience community policing in liaison with the South African Police Service (SAPS), private security and community members in the South West Tshwane policing area in Gauteng, South Africa. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 36 participants, purposively sampled from the Laudium, Lyttelton and Wierdabrug police precincts. Observations were also made in the different policing precincts. The data were thematically analysed. The results show that, owing to a variety of factors, the police alone cannot reduce crime in communities. A multidisciplinary approach is recommended wherein CPFs, private security firms and community members work together to mobilise their expertise and resources with the aim of attaining a safe and secure living environment for all citizens.

Spatial Distribution of Burglary at Residential Premises in the Newlands East Policing Precint

It is in the best interest of community members and policy makers to comprehend not only which crime prevention methods are most effective, but also where they are appropriate to apply. This study aimed at exploring the spatial distribution of burglary at residential premises in the Newlands East policing precinct. This was deemed necessary as residential burglary had been reported as the highest property-related crime in the study area for the five-year period (2015-2019) preceding the study. To ensure that the aim of this study was achieved, a qualitative research approach was utilised which assisted the researcher to focus on the spatial assessment of burglary at residential premises in the Newlands East policing precinct. Data collection was achieved by means of Focus Group Discussions and semi-structured interviews that involved a total of thirty-seven participants comprising of South African Police Service members, Community Policing Forum representatives, local Ward councillors, and ordinary community members. A set of pre-determined questions was used that enabled the researcher to explore themes and elicit responses that focused on achieving the objectives of the study. The findings of the study indicated that burglaries in the study area occurred spatially. This means that burglaries are highly concentrated at specific residential premises, particularly in the Newlands West area. The findings also indicated that various factors at local community level were instrumental in instigating this crime, and it is thus argued that SAPS and CPF members need to work collaboratively to develop strategies to curb the spatial distribution of burglaries in the study area. These findings suggest that a more concerted effort is required to forge collaboration among the government, the SAPS, and the community to effectively curb burglaries at residential premises. New evidence also highlights the role of construction/development companies as role-players in the fight against the scourge of residential burglaries.

Overcoming language barriers: An exploration of the police perceptions of the digitisation of witness statements in South Africa

The research identified instances were the English version of sworn statements was an inaccurate translation of the indigenous statement provided by a witness or complainant. The inaccurate translation of indigenous witness statements is a global phenomenon that manifests against the backdrop of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). This study was conducted to explore police experiences of taking indigenous witness statements, and to establish their perceptions of the digitisation of witness statements. Purposive sampling was used for sampling. Interview schedules were administered to eighteen (18) South African Police Service (SAPS) members from nine Community Service Centres (CSC) in Soweto, a township in the Gauteng province. Ethical consideration, measures of trustworthiness and the Theory of Performance (ToP) were applied. The ToP provides that a person’s level of performance is dependent on the interaction of various contextual factors. Thematic content analysis was conducted using Atlas ti resulting in five dominant themes or impact factors namely “skills”, “collaboration”, “resources”, “duration” and “language”. Results showed that a majority of the SAPS members perceived that witness statements should be digitised to address language challenges experienced and improve their level of performance. Furthermore, they perceived the usefulness of technology in modernising outdated resources in the SAPS.

The Nexus of South African Police Service and Community Policing Forums in dismantling the ‘Boko Haram’ gang in the Dan Village of Tzaneen Township, South Africa

The Dan Village in Tzaneen, South African, just like other areas in South Africa is confronted with various heinous crimes, mostly perpetrated by the local gangs. Citizens are often robbed of their valuable belongings, terrorised and some killed in the process, this normally occurs in the early mornings and during the night when to-and-from work. Therefore, the objective of this study was to offer the nexus South African Police Service (SAPS) and Community Policing Forums (CPFs) in dismantling the ‘Boko Haram’ Gang in the identified study location. This qualitative study, was supported by exploratory research objective to purposively select Ten (10) participants and review suitable documentary studies on this subject. The key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were employed for data collections. The inductive Textual Content Analysis (TCA) was used to identify study themes and associated challenges during the data analysis process. This study established that the CPFs and SAPS members, including Dan Village native resident at large were concerned about ‘Boko Haram’ gang, this resulted in initiating crime-fighting patterns against this dangerous gang. The results further showed that since various crimes happened unexpectedly and affects them differently; the effective collaboration between the local SAPS and CPFs should be regarded as legitimate structures to play critical roles to dismantle the Boko Haram gang. This is expected to yield positive outcome for the control and prevention of criminal activities by the local gang.

Work stressors and vicarious trauma among South African Police Service members

Work stressors and vicarious trauma among South African Police Service members

Exploring the Challenges of Forensic Technology in Responding to Identity Document Theft in Polokwane Policing Area, South Africa

This study explores the challenges of forensic technology in responding to Identity Document (ID) theft as an approach used by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Polokwane policing area. This study further evaluates the availability of technological and conventional resources to respond to this scourge, as well as the capabilities of the SAPS to utilise the available [lack of forensic technology] resources to respond best to ID theft. This was done by analysing preventative measures, associated with these challenges, as faced by SAPS and other relevant stakeholders on responding to this crime in the Polokwane Central Business District (CBD), Bendor Park, and Flora Park, coupled with the number of stores situated in the business sectors of these selected areas. For this study, the researchers adopted a quantitative research approach with 90 respondents in the identified areas. This study established that the secretive nature of ID theft makes it difficult for the relevant stakeholders (Not limited to the local SAPS, Businesses, and Public members as presented by this study) to effectively respond to this scourge. Negatively, the forefront gatekeepers to respond to this crime are mainly SAPS Constables with less training to investigates ID theft properly. Thus, find themselves being more reactive than proactive, which contributes to the difficulty of locating potential perpetrators in the process of conventional investigations applications. Furthermore, ID thieves utilise advanced technological resources (I.e. Computer hacking software), as opposed to SAPS which does not have systems nor capacity to effectively respond to this crime. The limited resources at the disposal of SAPS also renders its effort in responding to this crime inadequate. For recommendations; significant emphases should be directed on the promotion of public awareness through public education for the use of forensic technology as an investigative and identification tool of responding to ID theft. The intensive training of SAPS officials and inter-governmental corroboration between SAPS, Department of Home Affairs (DHA), and other relevant stakeholders in understanding this technology are highly advised.

Critical Analysis of Strategies Towards Creating an Adequate Level of Awareness on Cybercrime among the Youth in Gauteng Province

This study aims to determine any measures taken by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to create awareness about cybercrime among the youth in the selected policing areas in the Gauteng province. A qualitative research method was applied using semi-structured interviews to find the views of participants, of measures if any, to create youths’ awareness in the area of cybercrime. A total of 37 participants comprised of 29 youths aged between 19 and 35 years, including an additional eight participants from the SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit who agreed to participate. Among these participants, there were 18 females and 19 males. The findings highlighted that there was a lack of awareness on the measures taken by the SAPS in educating the youth about the risks associated with cybercrime. The other challenges highlighted by the SAPS were a lack of capacity, resources, and training to increase the technical skills amongst the SAPS members to work effectively on cybercrime-related challenges, lack of collaboration among role players to respond adequately to cybercrime, and ineffective implementation of cybercrime policies, therefore, there was a lack of cybercrime-related campaigns. Based on the findings, five themes were explored in this study, including a lack of capacity, resources, and training to increase the technical skills amongst the SAPS members to work effectively on cybercrime-related challenges, lack of collaboration among role players to respond adequately to cybercrime and ineffective implementation of cybercrime policies. The recommendations are provided as a potential step towards tailoring education packages and awareness programs to ensure at-risk groups are equipped with actionable mechanisms to protect themselves against cybercrimes.

Democracy and its discontents: Protest from a police perspective

In South Africa, media and scholarly research has increasingly drawn into question the correctness of police responses to post-1994 popular protest. Assessments of democratic policing, moreover, emphasise the critical role of the police in democratic development. Existing accounts of protest, however, seldom draw upon the assessments of individual police members. In an attempt to understand the challenges to democratic policing and the dynamics and complexities of protest, this article examines protest from the perspective of rank and file officers in the South African Police Service (SAPS). It shows, not only the importance of recognising bottom-up perspectives in constructing appropriate responses to protest, but the complexity of SAPS members’ own identities as both officers and citizens. Reports of police action indicate the sometimes unwarranted and disproportional use force. Yet, simultaneously, for many officers, protest seems to straddle their police and private lives, conferring on them a duty to enforce law and order, while experiencing the shortcomings of democracy themselves.

Democracy and its discontents: Protest from a police perspective

In South Africa, media and scholarly research has increasingly drawn into question the correctness of police responses to post-1994 popular protest. Assessments of democratic policing, moreover, emphasise the critical role of the police in democratic development. Existing accounts of protest, however, seldom draw upon the assessments of individual police members. In an attempt to understand the challenges to democratic policing and the dynamics and complexities of protest, this article examines protest from the perspective of rank and file officers in the South African Police Service (SAPS). It shows, not only the importance of recognising bottom-up perspectives in constructing appropriate responses to protest, but the complexity of SAPS members’ own identities as both officers and citizens. Reports of police action indicate the sometimes unwarranted and disproportional use force. Yet, simultaneously, for many officers, protest seems to straddle their police and private lives, conferring on them a duty to enforce law and order, while experiencing the shortcomings of democracy themselves.

Vicarious traumatisation experiences among South African Police Service members in a rural setting: An exploratory study

The objective of this study was to explore the vicarious traumatisation experiences of South African Police Service members serving in a rural community. The participants consisted of 17 purposively selected police members (females = 4; age range 27 to 55; average years of police service = 10.6 years). Unstructured face-to-face interviews were conducted on the members’ experiences with trauma events where they were called upon to provide police services. Additionally, field notes, telephone follow-ups, and diaries were used to collect data from the members. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological approach guidelines. Findings show the police members to report their outlook on life to change from viewing work-life as routine and impersonal, to viewing it as involved and personal. The police members also reported psychological disorientation and being in a sense of stupor from exposure to traumatic cases. Finally, the police members self-reported empathetic experiences with the survivors as concerned citizen parents.

Medscheme Mental Health Programme

Medscheme Mental Health Programme

Marikana: bold recommendations embedded in timidity

INTERNATIONAL union rights Page 6 Volume 22 Issue 3 2015 The Inquiry demonstrated repeated police mendacity: evidence was withheld, doctored and planted and senior police lied in the witness box AMCU’s poaching of NUM members was found to be inaccurate. The Inquiry discredited police witness Mr X, a striker claiming to be part of the strike committee, who accused AMCU president Joseph Mthunjwa of planning violence against NUM members. In fact Mthunjwa was cited in the report as the one person, who if people had listened to his advice, could have prevented the Marikana massacre. The Commission also revealed how police leadership manufactured a narrative before the Inquiry to which all police witnesses adhered even if it meant committing perjury. The narrative was that muti (drug) crazed mineworkers attacked the police who had no option but to shoot. The Commission showed this narrative to be false. The inquiry was also able to garner substantial information on what happened at Scene 2. In essence several police tactical units pursued the workers and in a chaotic operation, believing workers were armed, began shooting at each other whilst workers were caught in the cross fire. It also exposed that some workers were assassinated at point blank range whilst attempting to surrender. Further, the Inquiry uncovered wider truths which a court case would not have revealed. It importantly exposed a chain of command from top politicians to senior police leadership down to armed tactical response teams in a plan to disperse and disarm strikers even if this meant bloodshed. However although this was uncovered the inquiry was not able to prove that direct orders were given by police minister Nathi Mthethwa so the report is ambivalent on his role. The Inquiry was also able to prove repeated police mendacity. It exposed that evidence was withheld, doctored and planted and that senior police lied in the witness box. So, for example, a year into the Commission, under cross examination, a senior policeman revealed that a hard drive submitted to the Inquiry had been doctored. The original contained a conversation between the provincial police commissioner and a Lonmin executive on how the strike must be immediately ended on Ramaphosa’s instructions. The reason being that a rival political party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, was gaining workers’ support which would impact on the ANC’s 2014 election results. Thus a hastily assembled police plan resulted in 34 deaths. The Inquiry also exposed the existence of a police National Management Forum meeting the night before the massacre where the decision to end the strike the next day was taken. Minutes of this meeting however mysteriously disappeared. The Report includes detailed recommendations on the reform of public policing. These include that the national and provincial police commisT he South African President recently released the Marikana Commission of Inquiry findings . These relate to events between 9 - 16 August 2012 when 34 striking mine workers were gunned down by police and a further 78 seriously injured at Lonmin Plc’s Marikana mine in the North West province. At Scene 1 where 17 people died the events were broadcast globally. Twenty minutes later, hidden from the media, a further 17 workers were killed as they attempted to hide, flee or surrender at Scene 2. In mop up operations over 200 workers were arrested and bizarrely charged with killing their co-workers. In the eight days prior to the massacre, a strike led by rock drill operators had resulted in the killings of ten others: two SAPS (South African Police Service) members, two Lonmin security guards, a Lonmin supervisor and five mineworkers. These were also investigated by the Commission. The brutality of the events shocked postapartheid South Africa and assumed a political face as the ANC government distanced itself from the events, including ANC national executive (now South Africa’s vice-president) and Lonmin board member, Cyril Ramaphosa. The events were further complicated by strikers shifting their allegiance before, during and after the strike from the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) in alliance with the ANC to the non-aligned AMCU (Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union) claiming the NUM was a sweetheart union. A judicial inquiry in South Africa is appointed by...

Concepts of multifaceted social support in operational work in the lives of South African Police Service members

Orientation: The extensive role that social support plays in the lives of South African Police Service (SAPS) members outside of the expected work networks of professionals and colleagues should be further studied to reflect on the benefits received when handling the stressful and traumatic effects of operational work.Research purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the concepts of multifaceted social support network systems as perceived by SAPS members in the context of the Vhembe District (South Africa) in assisting them to deal with the effects of their operational work.Motivation for the study: There is still a call in social research to focus on the influence of different functions and sources of social support.Research design, approach and method: A descriptive phenomenological research design was used, and 20 SAPS participants were selected through purposive sampling. Unstructured,face-to-face interviews, field notes, telephone follow-ups and diaries were used to collect data which was subsequently analysed through phenomenological explication.Main findings: The results show that social support is not a linear process but is multifaceted,depending on specific operational settings. Furthermore, the social support network system identified is informed by the values of communal living in the Vhembe District as well as in the operational context in which the SAPS members work.Practical/managerial implications: The SAPS should help initiate and involve, during the debriefing of operational members, types and functions of social support that are dependent on organisational and community contexts.Contribution/value-add: This study makes a meaningful contribution to understanding that social support in the SAPS operational context is different from other contexts.

A dual-process model of diversity outcomes: The case South African police service in the Pretoria area

Orientation: The study addresses the question of how employees of the South African Police Service (SAPS) cope with intercultural relations in an increasingly diverse organisation.Research purpose: A dual-process model of diversity outcomes was tested in which a distinction is made between a positive (work-related) stream that links positive diversity conditions through active coping to work outcomes and a relatively independent health related) stream of negative antecedents, mediating passive coping skills and ill-health related outcomes.Motivation for the study: To test the viability of a dual-process model to understand diversity outcomes in the workplace.Research design, approach and methods: A convenience sample (n= 158) was recruited from members of the SAPS in Gauteng, using a cross-sectional design. Instruments used in previous acculturation research were adapted to measure contextual factors, coping and diversity outcomes.Main findings: A very good fit for the proposed hypothetical model was found. Approach coping partially mediated the relationship between positive acculturation conditions and the subjective experience of work success whereas avoidance coping fully mediated the relationship between discrimination, and ill-health symptoms are related to ill-health symptoms.Practical/managerial implications: Mainstream-facilitating conditions and discrimination influence individual coping styles, which in turn impact on ill-health and the subjective experience of work success. In addition, ill-health also impacts negatively on work-success experiences amongst the sampled SAPS members. It would thus make sense for the SAPS to sanction discrimination.Contribution/value added: A variation of the mediated dual-process model for diversity (Jackson & Van de Vijver, in press), using coping strategies as mediators was supported. The model adds new insights in diversity in organisations.

The outcome of Mental Health Care Users admitted under Section 40 of the South African Mental Health Care Act (No 17 of 2002)

To determine the outcomes of mental health care users (MHCU's) admitted in terms of Section 40 of the South African Mental Health Care Act (No 17 of 2002) (MHCA) and the factors, if any, that are associated with these outcomes. The study was a retrospective record review of MHCU's, 18 years and older, referred by the South African Police Service (SAPS) to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (CHBH). All mental health care users handed over to CHBH by SAPS with completed MHCA form 22's during the period July 2007 to December 2007 were included in the study. The outcomes, demographics and clinical characteristics of these referrals were obtained from hospital records. During the six-month study period, 718 MHCU's were referred by members of SAPS to the CHBH Emergency Department. Associations were found between discharged MHCU's and i) being male, ii) being less than 35 years of age, iii) being unemployed, iv) having a lower level of education, v) having a past history of substance abuse and/or vi) a past psychiatric illness. Females were twice as likely to be unemployed and admitted to hospital (either to a psychiatric or general medical ward). MHCU's diagnosed with delirium were more likely to be admitted into a medical ward as compared to a psychiatric ward. As has been the case in most countries where police services have been incorporated into mental health acts, South Africa's new Mental Health Care Act (No 17 of 2002) has resulted in a large number of referrals by the police to mental health services. However, many of these referrals may not be necessary as most MHCU's end up not being admitted. The characteristics of police referrals suggest that the receiving facility should have the capacity to identify factors that favour outpatient care (especially substance abuse problems) and divert MHCU's presenting with such factors to appropriate treatment facilities without admitting them to the hospital.

The Development and Evaluation of an Emotion Competence Intervention in the South African Police Service

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is an organisation where employees are exposed to numerous stressful and traumatic episodes which affects the employee's emotion functioning. Although several pro-active psychological programs exist within the organisation, they do not effectively assist the employee with coping with stressors on an emotion level. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate an emotion competence intervention for the SAPS. From the literature study, several emotion competencies were found that will illustrate emotion intelligent behaviour. The criteria, methodology and content to include in an emotion competence inter- vention for the SAPS was established and included in the development of the intervention. The intervention was evaluated by a panel of experts (N=13), suggesting only a few minor adaptations. These suggestions were incorporated in the final emotion competence intervention. Limitations included the small amount of experts that evaluated the intervention, as well as the absence of functional SAPS members as part of the panel of experts. Recommendations for future studies were made.

Exploring the meaning of trauma in the South African Police Service: A systems psychodynamic perspective

Orientation: This study explores individual stories of trauma and their dissonance with the official, dominant discourse on trauma in the South African Police Service (SAPS) from a systems psychodynamic perspective.Research purpose: The purpose of the research was, firstly, to explore how trauma experienced by South African Police Service members is constructed or ‘talked about’ and made sense of. Questions and issues that are considered relevant to the primary purpose are: which aspects of the working environment do members consider to be the most stressful, traumatic and difficult to cope with, and what is the effect of the change and transition processes on members’ working experiences?Motivation for the study: The authors set out to explore the role of systems psychodynamics in the experience of trauma and stress in the SAPS.Research design, approach and method: Through this qualitative, explorative, social phenomenological study, contributing circumstances and processes are included as additional discourses in an attempt to deepen understanding. The epistemology viewpoint of the study is found in the social constructionism and the data comprise 15 essays by members of the SAPS, all of which have been analysed from the perspective of systems psychodynamics.Main findings: Although the effect of trauma on police officers can never be negated, the way in which they deal with trauma seems to be different from what was initially believed. Further, their experience of stress is not solely the result of traumatic experiences but rather the result of traumatic experiences and systems psychodynamics operating within their organisation – which includes both organisational stressors or dynamics and transformation dynamics.Practical/managerial implications: The history of psychological trauma indicates that constructions of traumatic stress are strongly related to cultural, social and political circumstances. Current psychoanalytic thinking emphasises the meaning of the real occurrence, which causes trauma by changing the person’s experience of the self in relation to self-objects. Practical implications are the loss of the supportive subculture of the police, the loss of masculinity, as well as the loss of the power to be competent and meaningful. Furthermore, feelings of being overwhelmed, powerless and helpless generate anxiety and may have a significant impact on officers’ self-esteem and impede their feelings of omnipotence and invulnerability, which are necessary to cope in the policing environment.Contribution/value-add: The current study found various traumatic and systemspsychodynamic factors and processes to be anxiety-provoking as a result of exposure to trauma. Without a supportive social group the anxiety becomes uncontained and unmanageable.

The Mental Health Care Act: Stakeholder compliance with respect to Section 40 of the Act.

<p><strong>Objective.</strong> To determine compliance with Section 40 (1-3) of the Mental Health Care Act (MHCA) No 17 of 2002, viz. handing over custody by the South African Police Service (SAPS) of suspected mentally ill patients to medical services at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (CHBH).</p><p><strong>Methods.</strong> The study was a retrospective record review of patients who were 18 years and older, referred by SAPS to CHBH. In accordance with Section 40 of the MHCA, a MHCA form 22 is completed when suspected mentally ill patients are handed over by SAPS to the medical services. MHCA forms 22 that were completed during the period July 2007 to December 2007 were obtained from hospital records and analysed to determine the compliance of SAPS and medical practitioners in completing them. <strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results.</strong> During the study period, 708 of the 718 patients handed over by SAPS to the Emergency Department of CHBH were entered on MHCA forms 22. SAPS officials had correctly completed 86% of the forms, whereas the medical practitioners had only correctly completed 9.9% of the forms. Of the 718 patients handed over by SAPS, 319 (44%) were discharged for outpatient care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> The findings of this study suggest that not all parties fully comply with Section 40 of the Mental Health Care Act No 17 of 2002. We suggest that the situation can be improved by training of all parties; amendments to the MHCA form 22; partnership between mental health care practitioners and members of SAPS; and combining resources towards implementing a crisis intervention model similar to that in other countries.</p>

Death and injury on duty--a study of South African police officers.

Sections of contemporary South African society are characterised by high levels of crime and interpersonal conflict. The South African Police Service (SAPS) is in the front line, with many deaths and injuries occuring among serving officers in recent years. The circumstances and nature of the injuries sustained by these officers have received little attention in the medical literature. A retrospective review of all injured SAPS members was undertaken at a single level one trauma centre in Johannesburg between June 1993 and June 2002. The following factors were recorded: demographics, mechanism and anatomical site of injury, mode of transportation to hospital, whether personal protection had been used, mortality, and return to work. One hundred and thirty-four SAPS personnel were admitted over a 9-year period. The majority (95%) were male and the median age was 31 years. One hundred and thirty-two were on duty and two were in transit to a place of duty when injured. Ninety-two (69%) were injured by gunshot, (including 3 attempted suicides and 9 injuries due to negligent discharge), 2 members were stabbed, 31 were involved in motor vehicle accidents, 2 in motorbike accidents, 1 member was struck by a car while directing traffic, 3 officers were injured by falls from a height, 2 members were injured in helicopter crashes, and 1 member required treatment for gas inhalation. Documentation on whether some form of personal protection was worn at the time of injury was only available for 43 of the 92 cases of gunshot wounds (47%); of these, only 15 (35%) were wearing a bulletproof vest. Use or non-use of a seat belt was documented by hospital staff for only 6 of the 31 officers (19%) injured in motor vehicle accidents. None of the 6 officers had been restrained by a seatbelt. Nineteen SAPS personnel (14%) died of their injuries, but the majority of surviving members returned to duty. There is an unacceptably high level of violence in South African society today and SAPS members regularly have to deal with dangerous or violent situations. There is a clear need to introduce a reporting system within the SAPS to record the use of personal protection by officers. Education needs to target SAPS members in order to enhance their use of personal protection. There is a further need to design and implement personal protection that will be universally acceptable by SAPS members.