Zimbabweans have urged police officers manning roadblocks to change their conduct to avoid preventable injuries or even the death of some officers.
This comes after a police officer who was manning a roadblock at Ushewekunze turn off died after he was knocked down by a Toyota Hiace on Saturday morning.
In a post on their Twitter account, the ZRP said a 26-year-old Yutong bus driver failed to stop at the roadblock due to speeding and the bus hit a Toyota Hiace which then hit the police officer.
According to the statement, the injured police officer was taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital where he died upon admission. ZRP said:
The ZRP warns motorists against speeding especially when approaching checkpoints and roadblocks. This follows a fatal RTA which occurred on 2/10/21 (0503 hrs) at a Police roadblock near Ushewekunze turn off, along S Mazorodze Rd, where a police officer manning the roadblock died.
A man (26) driving a Yutong bus failed to stop at the roadblock due to speeding and hit a Toyota Hiace vehicle which in turn collided with a Honda Fit vehicle.
As a result, the Toyota Hiace vehicle swerved and knocked down a police officer, who later died upon admission at Sally Mugabe Hospital.
Responding to the post, some members of the public called upon the police officers to improve their visibility of security checkpoints to prevent such unfortunate incidents. Below are some of the reactions.
“May their Souls Rest in Peace. Asi police at times roadblocks are necessary but please warn people a distant before the actual block come Chipinge first Block along Chipinge Mt Selinda border road unozoona kt police inohwandira vanhu vamwe we end up failing to stop”
“yesterday in bulawayo around 8 :30 am along Intemba road btn hyde park and pumula south i witnessed cops chasing a honda fit vehicle that had mad a u turn before a” suspicious” road block using their personal honda fit driven by a female officer.”
“Be professional …have a clear purpose for a specific roadblock/checkpoint ..pick a safe place with clear visibility from a distance and clearly put out informative signs… stop these ambush and opportunistic tendencies of fighting hard to find offences…”
“I drive around that area a lot..the road there is terrible… yo drums and signs are not visible.. this is a 2nd or 3rd issue of a cop dying.”
“Telling people to slow down on social media is not that effective. Be visible, have enough signage. Promote road safety by putting safety first. policing is not about catching people out.”
“May their soul rest in peace, although I totally agree with the sentiments here, some roadblocks are at inappropriate places, and some put the drums right at the centre and we have to go off-road after the police check, high unprofessional”
“That Block is not even visible… Mukuchekeresana henyu mega ipapo, after tollgate they are many speed humps for one to be over speeding by the time you get to the block”
“Be visible, put warning signs, not that black and white metal plate “police”, don’t put your full body to stop a vehicle.”
“Musaite mota dzekunyangira. İsai mainformative signs some metres away. Siyai netsika yekuita ambush mota. On my way to Mt Drwn ndakatozoenda musango police yangonyuka from nowhere!”
“And you must also be sensible when setting up the roadblocks. Your officers set up checkpoints at inappropriate points. The driver exercised diffensive driving. Haana mhosva”