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CLAD in full police uniform, save for a hat placed on a bar stool, the youthful officer staggered as he played the game of eight-ball pool with a group of equally young and seemingly inebriated friends.
Revellers in the restaurant in downtown Harare looked at each other puzzled but none had the guts to confront the officer who was also drinking beer openly.
A group of journalists who were in the restaurant-cum-bar enjoying their lunch tried to phone a photographer to come and capture the incident but were let down by poor mobile networks.
At a bottle store in Mbare, just opposite Shawasha Flats, a police officer serves beer to patrons almost on a daily basis while in his uniform.
But to those who frequent the place seeing the officer drinking in uniform and serving patrons does not arouse any curiosity.
To them it is “normal and acceptable”.
Investigations by The Standard over the past two weeks revealed shocking lack of discipline in the police force even when members are in uniform and therefore on duty.
It has also become common to see police officers taking bribes openly especially at roadblocks from commuter omnibus drivers.
The drivers quickly pay the bribes which range between US$3 and US$5 to avoid being delayed or slapped with a fine which is usually higher than the bribe money.
One commuter bus driver, who tried to protest at a roadblock at Rugare in Harare, now dubbed “the Tollgate”, was recently threatened with arrest for “trying to obstruct the course of justice”.
It is rare to see a commuter omnibus passing through this “tollgate” without paying the “bribe fee” at least once a day in the morning.
But it is an offence under the Police Act (revised edition 1996) for officers to solicit or accept any present, reward or consideration whatsoever in connection with his position without the authority of the commissioner.
Commentators said while it has become common for police officers to demand bribes, it was however difficult for ordinary people to pin the rogue officers to the crime.
They said the police should institute investigations into the conduct of the officers to maintain credibility.
“We don’t want our force to be like that of Nigeria which is well known for demanding bribes,” said Amos Tinarwo, a local businessman. “(Police commissioner-general Augustine) Chihuri must restore discipline in the force.”
It has become almost acceptable to see officers drinking and smoking in public places or dressed shabbily.
However, it is an offence for a police officer to “be drunk on or off duty or rendering himself unfit for duty by indulging in liquor or drugs.”
Even “entering, while on duty, any place licenced for the sale of intoxicating liquor, except in the immediate exercise of his duty or when necessarily requiring a meal or accommodation” is an offence.
Although it is an offence to dress in police uniform “in a public place while on duty at any place, being, through wilfulness or neglect, improperly dressed or dirty or untidy in his person, uniform or accoutrements” officers are always seen in that state.
They are often seen in torn uniforms or with toes protruding from gaping shoes.
The police officer is deemed improperly dressed if he wears police uniform “at the same time that he wears, in such a manner to be visible, any article of civilian clothing.”
But police officers who spoke to The Standard said they dress shabbily or demand bribes because they were poorly remunerated.
“In most of the cases we buy our own uniforms especially shoes, that is why you at times see officers wearing ordinary civilian shoes,” said one officer who requested anonymity. “Resources are scarce in the force at the moment.”
They said officers attached to traffic and CID sections were more prone to accepting or asking for bribes because of the nature of their duties.
Former police officers and analysts last week said the police force has degenerated into a rag-tag force because of poor leadership coupled with lack of resources.
Charles Mandunya, a security consultant and a former senior police officer, attributed indiscipline in the force to poor training being given to recruits.
Apart from that, he said, monitoring mechanisms which were rigorous in the past were no longer being adhered to by the force.
“As far as I see it the training is not enough,” said Mandunya who served in the force for 20 years.
“Instructors are no longer carrying field evaluations to verify if officers are carrying out duties they were taught.”
During his days in the force, Mandunya said it was rare to see an officer eating, smoking or drinking in a public place except at police canteens.
“But it’s now common to see officers drinking or smoking at commuter omnibus ranks, at times sharing cigarettes with the touts, before they board the kombi and sit awkwardly paKadoma (just behind the driver’s seat) to avoid paying the fare.”
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) director Alois Chaumba concurred with Mandunya adding that the problem has been worsened by the politicisation of police operations.
“The calibre of people joining the police force is now questionable,” said Chaumba. “Some of them are (Zanu PF) youth militia without proper training.”
He said the training is now being “rushed and politicised” to meet the political goals of a certain political party.
He however added that lack of professionalism was not only restricted to the police force but was pervasive in the whole civil service.
“Generally, the standards have gone down across the board and adherence to ethics and codes of conduct is no longer a priority these days,” he said.
“Professionals used to religiously adhere to codes of conduct.”
But police spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka said like any organisation the police had a system of checking the behaviour of their officers.
“That system is intact and it is working,” said Mandipaka.
“Whenever cases of indiscipline are brought to our attention the officers accused appear before a disciplinary committee.”
He admitted officers who broke the law have appeared before the committee but denied that the police had degenerated into a rag-tag force.
BY CAIPHAS CHIMHETE
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