Tanzania: Police Officers 'Allowed to Use Minimum Reasonable Force'

Dodoma — THE law allows the police to use minimum reasonable force in the process of arresting criminal suspects, even if the incident can cause injury or death, the National Assembly was told here.
The Deputy Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Pereira Silima, listed several circumstances where the police can be forced to use guns, tear-gas and other weapons in arresting criminals.
He said the circumstances include self-defence, saving life or victims of violent attacks such as rape and house-breaking. The deputy minister was clarifying his earlier statement in the House that members of the Police Force might be forced to kill in the process of enforcing the law.
Mr Silima said police were often forced to use weapons in arresting violent criminals, preventing riots and other threats to peace, public and private property.
"The law allows the police to use minimum possible force in restoration of peace in events like unlawful assembly, dangerous riots and similar incidents.
This is proper and there is nothing wrong," the deputy minister stressed. He said the government was not condoning unprofessional or trigger happy policeman. "We want the police to operate professionally and within the limits of the law," Mr Silima stressed.