Tribute To Police Officer Kauvi

LAST week the local media had stories and graphics of how Detective Job Kauvi from the coast saved a just-born baby girl buried alive in a shallow grave in the dunes of Walvis Bay.

Not to bore the readers with the already known details of the story, I was personally moved by how Detective Kauvi carefully dug the baby out of the grave tenderly, after having noticed the infant was alive; how he applied his first aid skills in saving the child from the jaws of what I call the most tragic death warrant issued to an unsuspecting, innocent and new-born life, and how he personally removed his shirt from his body to clothe the baby girl with it. The story went on to say that he harassed his driver to speed to the hospital and literally burst into the hospital, half naked, with a bloodstained baby in his arms.Just as the nation is witnessing the most stressing and demoralising demeanour of our Police force as witnessed by the continual escapes of high profile and dangerous criminal suspects from the clutches of the holding cells, a spiralling misconduct of officers in the force, and the stressful headlines of butchered Namibians and other forms of crime, Detective Kauvi presented to the nation another face of the Police force: That amidst the chaos and mismanagement of the Police force, an officer can love his job, live for his job, and above all, understand that the primary mission of his job is saving lives.This event has challenged my hurt and disappointment caused by the inefficiency and failures of the Police over the years.There was a recent remark from our courts that had better policing been applied someone may not have died, just to mention a fresh example.I have seen in Detective Kauvi a strong passion and will of what a police officer can become in the value chain of this nation.For an officer to employ this level of personal involvement and compassion to someone was simply moving and resulted in a baby being alive, healthy and reunited with her mother, as it should be.There have been many debates about heroes in this country, and as usual, politicians hijacked the debates and swung them in their favour.As a result, if you ask me our national criteria for determining a hero, I am afraid, I know not.But I shared Detective Kauvi’s story passionately with my family.So, if you ask me who’s my most respected hero at present, I’ll proudly answer Detective Kauvi.That’s what I told my family.He’s our family hero for having selflessly and unashamedly saved an innocent and vulnerable child.Detective Kauvi and your team, you did us proud.Sam Kauapirura WindhoekThe story went on to say that he harassed his driver to speed to the hospital and literally burst into the hospital, half naked, with a bloodstained baby in his arms.Just as the nation is witnessing the most stressing and demoralising demeanour of our Police force as witnessed by the continual escapes of high profile and dangerous criminal suspects from the clutches of the holding cells, a spiralling misconduct of officers in the force, and the stressful headlines of butchered Namibians and other forms of crime, Detective Kauvi presented to the nation another face of the Police force: That amidst the chaos and mismanagement of the Police force, an officer can love his job, live for his job, and above all, understand that the primary mission of his job is saving lives.This event has challenged my hurt and disappointment caused by the inefficiency and failures of the Police over the years.There was a recent remark from our courts that had better policing been applied someone may not have died, just to mention a fresh example.I have seen in Detective Kauvi a strong passion and will of what a police officer can become in the value chain of this nation.For an officer to employ this level of personal involvement and compassion to someone was simply moving and resulted in a baby being alive, healthy and reunited with her mother, as it should be.There have been many debates about heroes in this country, and as usual, politicians hijacked the debates and swung them in their favour.As a result, if you ask me our national criteria for determining a hero, I am afraid, I know not.But I shared Detective Kauvi’s story passionately with my family.So, if you ask me who’s my most respected hero at present, I’ll proudly answer Detective Kauvi.That’s what I told my family.He’s our family hero for having selflessly and unashamedly saved an innocent and vulnerable child.Detective Kauvi and your team, you did us proud.Sam Kauapirura Windhoek

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