Very poor service from the Paarl police
2007-05-10
I RECENTLY had appalling service from the local police station in Paarl. On Saturday 14 April at about 15:00, a customer walked out of my business without paying for his internet use.
I called him back and locked the door of my business in Main Street while phoning the local charge office. At this stage, I also had two other customers in my shop.
After explaining the situation to the constable answering the phone he promised to send someone within ten minutes but no-one arrived.
By this time the young man in question started swearing at me and making threats. While pushing me around, he threatened to break down my door if I didn’t let him out.
Because I was concerned for my own safety as well as the safety of my customers I unlocked the door to let him out.
I immediately phoned the local charge office again. I spoke to a number of people who could not understand English and/or Afrikaans.
By this time the person that made the threats against me and my customers earlier, had walked past my shop three times already.
Because I felt seriously threatened and did not get any satisfaction from anybody I spoke to at the local charge office, I decided to close my shop and went to the police station in person at about 16:00 to complain.
Their excuse was that at the time of the incident, it was a time for shifts changes and that it was normally a bit chaotic.
Does this mean that if my life is threatened during shift change I should beg with my assailant to please postpone his attack/threat for at least half an hour?
The next day just after 10:00 the same person threatened me again. Without opening the locked door of my business, I immediately phoned the local charge office again, with poor response on the other side.
About 30 minutes later, two policemen arrived and were very helpful, but said they had only heard of my problem ten minutes earlier because calls are routed via the Maitland control room.
It is very obvious that this process is not working and is endangering the public. I would also suggest that the SAPS look into the quality of their staff working with the public at the station.
They need to include the basic principles of customer care in their training program and/or development program for all SAPS members.
Gilmore Smith
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