Boksburg: The Management of the South African Police Service in Gauteng has addressed the circulation of a notice by the Station Commander of Boksburg North Police Station. This notice concerned the collaboration between the police and a television production company.
According to South African Police Service, the notice followed legal advice provided to the provincial management, which highlighted concerns about television crews entering police stations. These crews have reportedly requested police escorts for sting operations or dropped off individuals they have arrested for alleged offenses.
The police in Gauteng clarified allegations that SAPS is unwilling to work with this specific production company. The Constitution of South Africa protects the right to freedom and security of the person, making any arrest a significant legal action subject to specific requirements. Arrests can be made with a court-obtained warrant under the Criminal Procedure Act or without a warrant under certain conditions specified by the Act.
However, certain practices not aligning with legal requirements have been noted, such as arrests without warrants, arresting illegal foreign nationals without verification, conducting non-compliant entrapments, unlawful searches, and dumping suspects at police stations without proper documentation.
The SAPS emphasized that investigative journalists lack the authority to arrest suspects. If a crime is uncovered, it should be reported to SAPS for investigation by trained detectives. The SAPS is open to collaborating with television production houses, provided it is coordinated through the SAPS Head Office and the Provincial Corporate Communication and Liaison’s Film and Television Section. Filming inside police stations requires prior arrangement with the appropriate department.
Production companies with safety concerns about filming in certain areas can request police visibility in writing to the relevant station commander at least 14 working days before filming. Police officers will not remain static but will conduct patrols in the area.
SAPS remains committed to working with production companies in a manner that upholds the law and respects individual rights.