27 June 2006
Today the South African Police Service (SAPS) held a launch for a booklet
named "Iqabane," which is a pocket sized field guide for operational police
officials.
The field guide was drawn up by the SAPS Legal Services and is intended for
policemen and women, who attend to complaints work in the community service
centres, patrol the communities, arrest perpetrators and are usually the first
on a crime scene.
The booklet will, we are sure, become an invaluable tool to all police
officials as it is easy to carry around and to use to refresh oneâs memory on
the spot.
Iqabane, meaning comrade or friend as it will be the police officialâs
comrade in fighting crime is a user friendly reference book which compacts the
information most useful and relevant to a police member into a small and easily
understandable package.
The booklet consists of an introduction which explains the legal
responsibilities of the SAPS a short discussion on our code of conduct, rules
and regulations relating to driving State vehicles, the duties of a
Commissioner of Oaths as well as the format and contents required in an
affidavit and the correct use of warning statements. There is also a short
discussion on all the common law offences in South Africa.
The remainder of the book is dedicated to discussions on statutory law
offences and procedures which must be followed, for example, the constitutional
warning that must be given to persons who are arrested when arrests and
searches may be undertaken with or without a warrant and which items can be
seized during a search.
A variety of other relevant topics are also covered including information on
counterfeit goods, dangerous weapons, firearms, domestic violence, corruption,
drugs and child pornography all issues frequently confronted by the police
member on the beat.
Enquiries:
Senior Supt Vishnu Naidoo
Cell: 082 567 4153
Issued by: South African Police Service (SAPS)
27 June 2006
Source: South African Police Service (http://www.saps.gov.za/)
