Broken Blue Line 2

This is the second report of the Broken Blue Line project – the first having been published by the IRR in 2011. As in 2011 this 2015 report examines the extent to which the police are involved in perpetrating criminal violence.

There should be no need for such a report as the police should be our primary line of defence against criminal violence. However, as you will read, in too many cases that line of defence has broken down and the supposed defenders have become perpetrators. As long as the police service remains a home to violent criminals it is very unlikely that South Africa will experience a sustained and significant decline in serious and violent crime. It is essential therefore that pressure be brought to bear on political authorities to take police criminality seriously and deal with it effectively. Creating such pressure is also one of the most effective means by which South Africa can support the eff orts of hard working and committed members of the police service.

Our thanks are extended to the civil rights organisation AfriForum which provided the funding for this report. Without their commitment and investment in the safety of South Africa’s people this report would not have been produced.