Behind the Badge
The police have played a central role in South Africa’s troubled past, are caught up in its crime-ridden present, and remain key to a more peaceful future. Despite this, most citizens know very little about the lives and experiences of the average cop in the 185 000-strong South African Police Service. This book is composed of excerpts from interviews with twenty-eight current and former members of the service who, for the first time, share their personal experiences of life behind the badge. There is mantra among the police: ‘What happens on the shift stays on the shift.’ In Behind the Badge, members talk openly about the experiences hidden behind this wall of silence. The book covers a wide range of themes, including reasons for signing up; training; transformation from SAP to SAPS; the case; lethal force; torture; corruption; ethics; experiencing loss; work and home life; the emotional toll; humour; sex and power.

About the Author - Andrew Faull
Andrew Faull is a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies and a reservist in the South African Police Service. He is the author of a book, Policing Diversity: An analysis of a diversity intervention in a South African Police Service station, as well as numerous papers and articles on police and policing. ...[more about Andrew Faull]