I will give my life for this uniform‚ says Sandton cop

A Joburg police officer has won praise for a heart-warming Facebook post in which he expresses his passion for his job.

Thapelo Mogale‚ 33‚ who is a member of the Sandton Visible Policing Unit (Vispol)‚ said he wrote the post in an effort to motivate his colleagues to rise above the criticism they face.

“I’ve realised that as police we put so much effort into protecting communities. We can’t even spend time with our families. So I wanted to motivate members of the police and remind them that they should be proud of their jobs‚” said Mogale.

“Policing is not just a job but a calling. I became a policeman in 2009. I was inspired by my uncle‚ who is an ex-cop‚ to be a policeman. I always looked at his courage and wanted to be the same.”

Mogale‚ who is a father of four‚ says his partner understands the nature of his job‚ but his children often do not.

“Sometimes my kids will ask‚ ‘Daddy‚ why are you never home?’ They don’t always understand. Because I wake up at 4am in the morning and I’m at work at quarter to six‚ I am hardly home. But I stay motivated because I know I am doing this for my country and its people‚” said Mogale.

Mogale said he initially enrolled for a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural studies at the University of Limpopo but had to drop out due to a lack of funds.

In his view‚ a lack of resources makes his job difficult.

“We need manpower and resources. Criminals are more equipped than the police these days. So in order to keep peace and order in the country‚ we must keep up with them‚” he said.

In his Facebook post‚ Mogale wrote: “It has been proven that my life expectancy is shorter than yours because of the stress I go through & the sicknesses I get exposed to & yet there are no hero movies about us.

“I must give my life everyday for people I don’t know‚ have never met before and who don’t like me‚ when my family is at home asleep alone‚ I must be on the road to protect you‚ but I will give my life for my uniform because to be a police officer is a calling not a job. God is always with me when I put my police uniform on.”