ONE in every three police officers in East London was absent on any given day in 1998. The police officers were read the riot act by Minister of Safety and Security Steve Tshwete and SA Police Commissioner George Fivaz’s three weeks ago for rampant drunkenness and absenteeism. Bisho legislature’s safety and security committee was told this week that if other reasons for absenteeism like maternity and leave were also taken into account, then 38% of the city’s police service was not on duty on any given day last year. A special programme has been introduced to bring the figures down and has seen absenteeism fall, especially in the Transkei, for instance, from 60% to 4% at Cala and 57% to 3,4% at Idutywa. In Port Elizabeth, however, the province’s major metropole, 28% were on sick leave and another 33% on other leave over the whole of last year.