Speaker and hon member, the statistics relating to police killings and the statistics of the police will be released in September. Practically, this means that if other police members were killed, they would be part of that list. We hope that that is not going to happen.
With regard to the second part of the question, yes, during the Basic Police Development Learning Programme, all police trainees are exposed to and trained in various street survival techniques: firstly, tactical approach to crime scene and attending to complaint; secondly, arresting techniques and proper handcuffing of suspects; and thirdly, close combat techniques, which entail, among others, restraining techniques. Trainees also undergo an intensive physical fitness programme that prepares them for the outside world.
When the number of police officers being killed increased in the 2011-12 financial year, a re-skilling course, also viewed as a refresher course for police officers, was introduced. Those provinces with a high number of police killings were targeted first and foremost, and then the course went to other provinces.
The focus of the course is on technical awareness, weaponary skills, how to stop and search vehicles and suspects, as well as approach and penetration techniques to effect an arrest. This project is ongoing. The other one is firearm competency, which is continuing in support of this project. Various other tactical courses and general policing courses are included in the training that contributes to the skills of police officers to ensure their own safety. The project is ongoing. Debriefing, bereavement and other counselling, as well as a support system are in place in the SA Police Service's employee health and wellness programmes for families of slain members. Bereavement support is given, conveying the death message until support structures such as local church, families and friends are in place.
Bereavement counselling is offered to the families on a continuous basis, accompanying and supporting families in the process of preparing for the funeral, arranging and/or conducting the funeral with the necessary emotional and spiritual support. The list is long. We recently launched the SA Police Service Education Trust, which contributes to the studies of the kids of SAPS members who were killed on duty.
I also want to highlight that, in 2011, we convened a summit against police killings, and certain things came out of that. One of the issues regarding the safety of police members was the need to ensure that all police officers are afforded bulletproof vests. Others included an "adopt a policeman" initiative and ensuring that in each and every instance where a police officer is killed, flags at police stations are lowered to half- mast.