Chair, the NFP supports Budget Vote 23. We believe that this is in the interest of all law-abiding citizens who should be protected at all times from the police officers that we employ.
The NFP calls on the IPID to facilitate investigations and leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all corrupt police officers are brought to book without delay, prosecuted and dismissed so as to reinstate the trust and confidence in the police department by ordinary citizens.
The NFP is also concerned about police officers conducting other business activities, as this impacts on their duties as police officers. The NFP calls on the IPID to monitor very closely the performance and duties of police officers to ensure that they do not leak information to criminals and/or drug dealers.
It is common knowledge that by the time the police arrive at, or try to do a raid, drug dealers or criminals are aware of exactly who are coming, when they are coming, at what time they are coming, what cars they are driving and the registration numbers. And this has resulted in many members of the public, including our police officers, losing their lives.
I call on the IPID, in terms of this budget that we are approving, to take all the necessary steps to prevent the loss of life of any more of our police officers, and to protect them. I thank you.