Rotten cops

Misconduct charges against members of Cape Town's 500-strong Metro Police have soared to 80 in little more than a year and six new cases are investigated every month.

The charges, recorded between April 2008 and June 2009, range from the misuse of official vehicles and being under the influence of alcohol to being absent without leave and corruption.

At least four Metro Police officers have criminal cases pending against them.

The statistics were revealed in a report to the council safety and security committee.

In addition to these cases, another 55 were investigated in the city's traffic department over the past year, many relating to corruption in processing learners' and drivers' licences.

Two Metro Police constables were arrested by the SAPS this year, one for driving an official vehicle while off duty and under the influence of alcohol, the other for handling a private firearm while under the influence.

Two more officers are facing charges of assault on a member of the public and another is alleged to have stolen from someone he searched.

At least three more officers who also face criminal charges - for sexual harassment, accepting a bribe from a taxi driver and being in possession of dagga - have left the force.

One officer in 10 was involved in disciplinary action over the past year, but the chairwoman of the council safety and security committee, Carin Brynard, said she felt the statistics were "reasonable".

Only 1 percent of those disciplined had been fired.

The report, detailing allegations of misconduct and the findings of disciplinary processes against Metro Police officers between April 2008 and April 2009, showed 64 cases had been investigated.

Five concerned corruption and, with the exception of one not-guilty finding, those involved either resigned or were dismissed.

One officer was dismissed for sexual harassment.

But in most incidents, in which officers were found guilty of insubordination, the unauthorised use of official vehicles, unprofessional behaviour or being absent without leave, they received written warnings and suspensions without pay.

A separate report indicates that another six disciplinary cases were reported in May and June 2009, involving corruption, sexual harassment and assault, and that a further nine cases had been finalised against officers for similar offences.

At least 21 cases against staff in the city's driver testing centres are in the disciplinary stages, largely for the wrongful issuing of learners' licences.

A further 34 disciplinary cases against traffic staff since January have already been finalised.

Staff are accused of failing to conduct eye tests, issuing more than one eye test report on behalf of an applicant and, in one case, completing a test report on behalf of an applicant.

A number of other complaints against traffic staff relate to their interaction with the public, with several complaints relating to refusal to assist or being rude.

At least one criminal case is pending at Parow police station after an employee failed to account for R9 000 at the completion of her duties.

In May, an employee was found to have a fraudulent identity document, as well as an illegal driver's licence, while a complaint was lodged against a driver's licence tester for conducting a test while under the influence.

The city has issued final written warnings to a number of staff who have behaved in an undisciplined manner towards their supervisors, or disobeyed lawful instructions.

Two employees were dismissed in June for bribery.