GPF must be equipped to deal with violent criminals

Dear Editor,
I would like us to focus our attention on a recent video post in which the Police were confronted with a violent criminal as they attempted to make an arrest. In that video, we see two lawmen engaging in a violent struggle with a belligerent individual. In the ensuing fracas, they were met with some stout resistance; in fact, the lawmen were physically assaulted, being punched and tossed around as the criminal gained the upper hand.
This caused one Facebook commentator to ask why the officer who was armed didn’t use his weapon. Why didn’t he use his weapon, a common practice used here when subduing belligerent offenders? However, in this instance, the officer chose not to resort to his weapon because he probably was cognisant of the legal and political repercussions he would have had to face.
But the question still lingers: Why suffer bodily harm by a criminal? Should an officer rather suffer blows and humiliation than react with subduing force?
Well, the lawmen chose the passive role in this case, which was a welcome spectacle to a crowd who gloated in the idea of an officer being beaten by a criminal. And this has been a problem facing law enforcement ever since: how to react in such demanding circumstances?
Now, this brings into question how well our lawmen are equipped to deal with violent criminals. Are they well trained, or properly equipped to deal with such situations? I think not. Some may say the Policemen should have shot the criminal – a move that could have caused him irreparable harm. we are all too familiar with these situations.
So, let us see what is the most sensible and proper way we can deal with violent persons when making an arrest.
It is my firm belief that the Police should be equipped with tasers. That device would have brought a quick and tactical end to that violent confrontation. A quick application of some electrical power would have immobilised the criminal and put everything in order.
If I should add, there are instances when the Police, in their bid to make an arrest, were met by a hostile crowd gathered at the scene; for instance, the mob that became active participants in the obstruction of justice, pulling and tugging, even throwing in punches to defend their criminal comrade. This sort of behaviour must be curbed immediately if we are to make any headway in crimefighting. So, I am again making the suggestion that the Minister get our lawmen properly equipped with tasers to adequately deal with such situations.

Respectfully,
Neil Adams