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Cape Town - Don’t you just hate it when a taxi blatantly cuts you off the road or you see a group of unsavoury people up to no good at a known hotspot – with no visible sign of police or law enforcement?
It is safe to say that not many people are optimistic about the local police and carry about their lives as usual, expecting the trend to just continue.
Divided opinions
Lots of time can be spent debating opinions about how bad (or good) our men in uniform are, but that too would take some time to digest.
You’d often see or hear about it in the news, cops being slated for not responding to calls quick enough, not being physically fit enough or even choosing not to do anything at all.
READ: MAP: Top 10 hijacking hotspots and worst crime areas in Cape Town
While some of us haven’t been in such a scenario, there are some that have lost faith in the local police. Posts and pictures on social media about cops sitting at Burger King or McDonalds further adds a vote of no faith from the public.
When we see drivers cutting in from an intersection for example, thoughts immediately turn to “where are the cops or traffic officers” but the displeasure only lasts for that time. Point is, once the moment has passed and you are on your merry way, you'd have forgotten all about it.
Change in mindset
On the other hand, if you are the person cutting trying to cut into traffic, you will be hoping – for that moment at least - that there are no cops or law enforcement in sight to catch you in the act.
Visible policing, especially at dangerous spots is what most people want, just for that added peace of mind and reassurance. Crime will always be around, that is just a fact of life whichever way you look at it. While we can’t blame everything that happens on the road solely on the police service, they also cannot be at one spot at the same time all the time, especially when there is so much going on in the country.
In the end, our police people have families waiting for them at home and while it is their job to protect and serve, they put their lives on the line so that we can go home and do the same.
What do you think of our police service? Have you ever been involved in one such experience? Email us: feedback@wheels24.co.za
