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Journal Article

Citation

Plani F, Bowley DMG, Goosen J. S. Afr. Med. J. 2003; 93(11): 851-853.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, South African Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14677510

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Sections of contemporary South African

society are characterised by high levels of crime and interpersonal conflict.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is in the front line, with many deaths

and injuries occuring among serving officers in recent years. The circumstances

and nature of the injuries sustained by these officers have received little

attention in the medical literature. DESIGN: A retrospective review of all

injured SAPS members was undertaken at a single level one trauma centre in

Johannesburg between June 1993 and June 2002. The following factors were

recorded: demographics, mechanism and anatomical site of injury, mode of

transportation to hospital, whether personal protection had been used,

mortality, and return to work. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four SAPS

personnel were admitted over a 9-year period. The majority (95%) were male and

the median age was 31 years. One hundred and thirty-two were on duty and two

were in transit to a place of duty when injured. Ninety-two (69%) were injured

by gunshot, (including 3 attempted suicides and 9 injuries due to negligent

discharge), 2 members were stabbed, 31 were involved in motor vehicle accidents,

2 in motorbike accidents, 1 member was struck by a car while directing traffic,

3 officers were injured by falls from a height, 2 members were injured in

helicopter crashes, and 1 member required treatment for gas inhalation.

Documentation on whether some form of personal protection was worn at the time

of injury was only available for 43 of the 92 cases of gunshot wounds (47%); of

these, only 15 (35%) were wearing a bulletproof vest. Use or non-use of a seat

belt was documented by hospital staff for only 6 of the 31 officers (19%)

injured in motor vehicle accidents. None of the 6 officers had been restrained

by a seatbelt. Nineteen SAPS personnel (14%) died of their injuries, but the

majority of surviving members returned to duty. CONCLUSION: There is an

unacceptably high level of violence in South African society today and SAPS

members regularly have to deal with dangerous or violent situations. There is a

clear need to introduce a reporting system within the SAPS to record the use of

personal protection by officers. Education needs to target SAPS members in order

to enhance their use of personal protection. There is a further need to design

and implement personal protection that will be universally acceptable by SAPS

members.

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