Final preparations are underway at various South African Police Service (SAPS) Academies to host the passing out parade for 10 000 newly trained police officers this week.

These fully fledged Constable’s have successfully undergone and completed the Basic Police Learning Development Programme (BPLDP).

The nine-month programme is a combination of theory and practice which prepares police officers on executing their constitutional mandate of preventing, combating and investigating crime, protecting the inhabitants of the country and their property, as well as upholding and enforcing the law.

495 of the 10 000 trainees consisting of Law, Criminologists, Policing experts and Forensic Investigation graduates have already been deployed to various stations after completing their training in September this year.

4000 of the newly trained police officers will be deployed to the Public Order Police (POP) unit in a bid to bolster the organisation’s efforts in responding to crowd control measures, especially during violent protests and other opportunistic crime. Some will be deployed to the Visible Policing Division to assist in heightening and enhancing police visibility through integrated crime prevention operations.

The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Investigations (FCS) unit as well as the 30 crime weight police stations will also receive their share.

The National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola says more boots on the ground will assist in maximising the organisation’s efforts in combating crime.

“The injection of new blood within our ranks will go a long way in assisting the SAPS to heighten and enhance police visibility. These members are being deployed to bolster crime prevention efforts as the country prepares to usher in the peak of the festive season. We are continuously building capacting by adding more boots on the ground , we currently have 556 trainees who commenced their training in October this year, they will graduate in June 2023”, said General Fannie Masemola.

The passing out parades will be held over three days from 13 December to 15 December 2022, at various SAPS academies including SAPS Academy Tshwane, Paarl, Ulundi, Oudtshoorn, Graaf Reinet and Bisho. The seventh parade will take place at the SANDF’s 3 SAI base camp in Kimberley.

Source: South African Police Service