Approached by the manager of a High Street store to apprehend two shoplifters, a uniformed police officer told the manager he was off-duty and drove off in an official police vehicle.
Approached by the manager of a High Street store to apprehend two shoplifters, a uniformed police officer told the manager he was off-duty and drove off in an official police vehicle.
On Wednesday 21 August Pep Stores manager Ronnie Scheepers witnessed two teenagers stealing chocolates off his shop's snack shelf. He was pursuing the boys when he then came across a police officer who had parked his police vehicle outside a nearby furniture store.
“The officer refused to help me to run after those boys. Instead he made me repeat what they stole from me five times – just to mock me.” The officer then told Scheepers that he would not be able to assist him to run after the boys because he was off duty.
Scheepers noticed the officer had three stars on his uniform, which would make him a captain and noted his name. “When I took a picture of his car he told me to bugger off,” said Scheepers.
Police spokesperson Mali Govender told Grocott’s Mail that, “Police officers, in uniform are not legally obliged to assist members of the public when they are off duty. It’s more of a moral obligation.”
She said that was wrong of the police officer to refuse to assist Scheepers while using an official vehicle. She urged members of the public to continue reporting such incidents so offenders can be disciplined.
