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NAMIBIAN POLICE

2015-12-01  Staff Report 2

NAMIBIAN POLICE
Query: The Namibian Police Force has taken note of an unofficial document (even though with the national coat of arms and police logo) circulating on the social media such as Facebook, WhatsApp, etc., titled, “Message to the Namibian nation” indicating and or calling upon members of the Namibian Police Force to go on strike on 10th December 2015. Response: The Namibian Police Force views the content of this document in a serious light and henceforth would like to respond to the author and to the nation as follows: The inspector-general of police would like to advise all the members of the Namibian Police Force to disregard the document circulating on the social media and to distance themselves from any persons or individual who is circulating and disseminating the unlawful actions contained in the document. The Namibian Police Force is entrusted with the responsibility of keeping law and order and by enforcing relevant laws, protection of life and liberty of our citizens. The author, who is believed to be a police officer, is a trained officer who has taken oath to serve and protect the Namibian nation and uphold the responsibility of keeping law and order, irrespective. In the Namibian Police Force there are rules and regulations that provide for measures that any member of the force can follow in order to address concerns and or grievances. It is somehow regrettable that the member failed to raise his/her grievances and or opinion internally or with any other relevant office such as the office of the ombudsman, before taking it to social media. The author seems to be threatening and instigating members of the Namibian Police Force to go on strike. It should be noted that the Police Administration Manual Chapter 2 r(i)(ii)(iii) and (iv) as well as the Police Act (Act 19/1990) does not authorise any members of the Namibian Police Force to go on strike or to stay away from work, or engage in any industrial action which could be calculated to be a strike. Hence, members of the Namibian Police Force are strictly warned to refrain from taking part in such action or to show solidarity to the author of the letter circulating on social media. Thus, the Namibian Police Force would not hesitate to ensure that any member seen to be supporting, inciting or showing solidarity with the call for police officers to go on strike is charged accordingly and disciplinary proceedings are instituted. With regard to salaries, the author should note that job evaluation and grading of all categories in the public service was implemented with effect from 01 April 2013 and it included all members and categories of employment of the Namibian Police Force and to date all members were paid out what was due to them. The author’s article is earnestly unnecessarily causing a wrong perception and causing a negative impact on the good name and image of the Namibian Police Force. Our request to the concerned police officer is that in future, he/she should rather visit the relevant offices within the force in order to raise his/her concerns and or grievances. • Kaunapawa P. Shikwambi, Chief Inspector, Head: Media Relations Sub-Division, Public Relations, Ministry of Safety and Security (NAMPOL),e-mail: Kaunapawa.Shikwambi@nampol.gov.na *The responses contained herein are in response to questions and comments published in various national newspapers, as well as directly with the government agencies concerned.
2015-12-01  Staff Report 2

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