Police will respond ‘decisively’ to criminals engaging in gun battles with law enforcement: Masemola

National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola has defended police officers who respond “decisively” during shoot-outs with criminals.

This comes after several incidents in which criminals engaged in deadly shoot-outs with police officers.

Recently six community patrollers were fatally shot and partially burnt during an altercation with a group of people at the Marry Me informal settlement in Soshanguve, north of Tshwane.

“For as long as criminals attack police officers, police will respond decisively, as empowered by relevant legislation that governs the work of the police,” Masemola said.

“Police have observed with concern statements issued in defence of criminals and questionable silence when police officers are killed in the line of duty, including community members, who are always at risk and at times killed as innocent bystanders.”

He emphasised the need for police officers to act to fight crime.

“It is the responsibility of the police to stamp the authority of the state and maintain law and order. Therefore any act of lawlessness and brazen attacks on police and community members at crime scenes will be correctly addressed with authority by capable members of the SA Police Service.

“Police officers across the country continue to work efficiently and effectively in fighting crime,” he said.

More than 1.2-million people have been arrested for crimes since the beginning of Operation Shanela.

According to Masemola, 21 police officers have been killed in the line of duty since April 2024. “This is an alarming figure that calls for community members and civil society to rally behind the police and fight against life-threatening criminality.”

TimesLIVE