Police Open UP

Elderly pair familiar with ‘Police! Open up!’


3 /20.2010
AP NEW YORK

An elderly Brooklyn couple say they’re tired of hearing the phrase, “Police! Open up!” World War II veteran Walter Martin and his 82-year-old wife, Rose, said police have come looking for criminals at their house about 50 times in the past eight years. It’s not clear why.

The New York Daily News says its computer search showed 15 other people living at the Marine Park address. The Martins don’t know any of them. Inspector Ed Mullen said the NYPD’s identity theft squad is investigating. Earlier this week, officers pounded on both their front and back doors. Walter Martin, who’s 83, said they’re respectful -- but it still makes his blood pressure soar.

11 June 2010

The Fourth Street bus terminus went into chaos this morning as some rowdy police men opened fire and shot the rear tyre of a moving commuter omnibus. The outrageous incident took place at around 845am today along Robert Mugabe Road near Road Port when the police were trying to apprehend the driver of the commuter omnibus who had been operating without a permit.


The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) ,Municipal Police and the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) launched an operation code-named “100% CBD Decongestion”, which has seen commuter omnibus operators being arrested and fined for various offences. The ZRP are focusing on vehicle licensing and road permits, VID is checking vehicle fitness while the Municipal police are on the hunt for those operators who park at undesignated places and are without parking discs. CHRA interviewed some commuter omnibus operators at Fourth Street today and most of them indicated that they were willing to follow Council by-laws but the service charges to meet the requirements from the police, Council and VID were exorbitant and unaffordable. They pointed out that medical tests needed $300,passenger insurance $150 and rank disks $120 .The drivers also pointed out that they were not informed about this Operation and were not even aware of the name of the Operation. The Police Officers who spoke to CHRA were not able to explain why they were opening fire on an unarmed driver.

Meanwhile, there are reports that another commuter omnibus was involved in an accident along Simon Mazorodze while trying to evade the police.

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is, however, disappointed with the way the police are handling the Operation. Although it is a fact that Commuter omnibus operators have not been the best citizens in Harare due to their continuous flouting of city by-laws, there is no justification for the police to use live bullets in the midst of hundreds of civilians. The police are there to protect residents and not put the lives of residents in danger. The behaviour of the police at Fourth Street today is uncalled for and it is disappointing and disgusting to say the least. They could have harmed the civilians who were unwittingly looking for transport to ferry them to their different destinations.