Cape Town – Fast and decisive action must be taken against criminal police officers at all levels of the police service, the DA said on Monday.

Its call follows reports at the weekend that national police commissioner Riah Phiyega had ordered “a purge of convicted criminals” from the SA Police Service (SAPS) after an in-depth audit of its ranks.

In a statement, DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard welcomed the news.

“The DA calls on SAPS management to take swift and decisive action against criminals within the service, including those within its higher echelons.”

She said her party would submit parliamentary questions to determine when the audit would be finalised, and what steps would be taken in future to “prevent criminals infiltrating the police service”.

The City Press reported on Sunday that Phiyega had – in a letter sent to the police ministry and the service’s top brass – ordered that police officers convicted of a crime be removed from the SAPS.

It quoted Phiyega, in the letter, dated 29 May this year, as saying: “The findings of the audit revealed an unpleasant picture of employees with criminal convictions and who have criminal cases pending against them.”

The audit was reportedly close to completion.

Kohler-Barnard said all members of the SAPS, including those within its leadership, should be professional police officers who protected South Africans from criminals.

“They should not be criminals themselves. We trust that the national police commissioner will take swift action in dealing with any criminality within the service.”

– SAPA