Tensions rise in altercation between handler and man who ‘antagonised’ patrol dog during raid
TENSE SITUATION: Metro Canine Security manager John Hickman draws his ‘non-lethal air pistol’ on a man armed with a piece of brick during an altercation in Strand Street yesterday. PICTURE: FREDLIN ADRIAAN
WHAT should have been a positive start to a campaign that aims to rid the city centre of crime took an ugly turn yesterday in a scuffle over a patrol dog.
The Take Back Our City campaign, an initiative of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM) and Mandela Bay Development Agency, was launched with raids carried out in and around Govan Mbeki Avenue and Strand Street, and in Korsten.
When the raids reached Strand Street a fight broke out between Metro Canine Security manager John Hickman and a civilian who whistled at Hickman’s patrol dog.
An irate Hickman handed over his dog and air pistol to a Weekend Post photographer and proceeded to slap the man.
The man, who initially ran away but then returned with a brick in his hand, was heard asking Hickman why he had been slapped, saying he had merely been calling the dog.
Hickman replied: “Because you got clever. What are you going to do, press charges?”
Metro Security new business and development director Rowlin Adonis said the company – which plays a support role in the Take Back Our City campaign – took all allegations of improper behaviour by staff seriously and that the company had launched an internal investigation and taken statements from various personnel present at the time.
Adonis said initial investigations indicated the man had antagonised Hickman’s dog.
“Hickman asked the man to stop and move on, which then led to a verbal exchange between the member of the public and Hickman.
“Hickman acknowledged that at one stage he did hand over his weapon, a non-lethal air pistol, to the photographer present.
“This was done in case he had to give chase, as he was concerned he might lose the weapon,” Adonis said.
“It is important to note that Hickman was not armed with a firearm, but with a non-lethal air pistol.
“There is no law prohibiting anyone from handing over a non-lethal weapon to another person for safekeeping.”
He said Hickman acknowledged that, when the man returned armed with a brick, he drew his weapon and instructed the man to drop the brick.
“Additional security staff then came to Hickman’s assistance and were able to get the man to drop the brick he was carrying.”
Adonis said the incident was unfortunate as it had detracted from the good work done by the Take Back Our City campaign.
MBDA marketing and communications manager Luvuyo Bangazi also called the incident unfortunate, saying the campaign was new and civilians would need to be educated about safety precautions.
“We are really trying hard to make citizens understand that these are not ordinary dogs. There always needs to be 7m radius between the dog and the civilians.
“We have a lot of work to do in educating the people of the metro about . . . the safety precautions that need to be taken.
“. . . let us not make this behaviour by John Hickman the focus otherwise we will be doing ourselves a disservice. Let us look at the bigger picture,” he said.
-Melitta Ngalonkulu
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