Gauteng police Commissioner Perumal Naidoo has appointed a team of senior officers to investigate allegations of racism in the North Rand dog unit.
”They will report directly to him,” Senior Superintendent Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said on Wednesday.
It was reported on Wednesday that racial tensions in the unit reached ”fever pitch” when a black member allegedly made a written threat to kill three white policemen and a female administrative officer — by poisoning and car bomb.
”It is very peculiar that this type of thing should be happening in this day and age,” said North Rand policing area spokesperson Superintendent Eugene Opperman.
In 2000, the dog unit gained notoriety when six of its members were caught on camera setting dogs on illegal immigrants.
The incident was screened on television and caused a public outrage.
Opperman said rumours of continued racism at the unit surfaced some time ago.
”We have to investigate those allegations as well as the intimidating note,” he said. — Sapa