[LISTEN] Is it true that there is one police officer for every 383 people in SA?
Africa Check has dissected two claims made by Police Minister Bheki Cele.
Cele reportedly said the United Nations (UN) recommends that there be one police officer for every 220 people in a country, whereas currently the police:population ratio is 1:383.
Africa Check says while the ratio is correct - if administrative staff are excluded from the calculation, there is little evidence that the UN has ever recommended a specific ratio.
Researcher Cayley Clifford has more.
This is not the first time Africa Check has come across this UN ratio, it has often been cited in various countries and tends to change from place to place.
Cayley Clifford, Researcher - Africa Check
Perhaps a ratio did exist at some time on some website but how it was calculated, we don't know. There is very little evidence to show that this ratio even exists. We have gone for an unproven verdict for this second claim.
Cayley Clifford, Researcher - Africa Check
Some experts have argued that even if a ratio does exist it may not be very helpful. Numbers alone are not going to solve South Africa's crime problem.
Cayley Clifford, Researcher - Africa Check
Click on the link below to hear the full conversation...
This article first appeared on 702 : [LISTEN] Is it true that there is one police officer for every 383 people in SA?
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