Pretoria streets have almost 2 000 more metro police officers to combat crime and enforce by-laws.
|||Pretoria - Pretoria’s streets now have 1 935 more metro police officers to combat crime, enforce by-laws and police the roads. With this addition, every ward in the municipality has been promised 10 officers each to ensure safety.
The latest members of the Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) on Tuesday had their pass-out parade at Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, after two years of gruelling training. This new group of constables will join more than 2 100 officers already on the streets of the capital.
Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa said the 4 000 plus officers will ensure that the city is the safest in the country. “Don’t compromise your two years of dedication and commitment on taking bribes. We are paying your salaries. We are against corruption and fraud,” he said.
Ramokgopa and the metro police chief Steven Ngobeni warned the constables to steer clear of bribes so that the public associates them with a safe community and not with corruption.
“We had made a commitment that we are going to have 10 metro police officers per ward. This is going to make that possible. We vowed that before 2016 it will be happening and we are starting now in December,” Ramokgopa said.
The TMPD would be working with the Road Traffic Management Corporation and the SAPS to ensure law and order is maintained within the city. The officers will be deployed on foot and on bicycles to different municipal wards to “help tackle crime, substance abuse and the illicit trading of illegal substances”.
“There will be zero tolerance for corruption. These are ambassadors of the city, if they get reported we will investigate,” Ramokgopa said.
“The public will see you as their protectors. They should take comfort in you and they must not only see a R20 bribe,” Steven Ngobeni said.
The constables undertook to honour their badge and the public, and to always uphold the Constitution and the community they serve.
At least 13 awards were handed out to the best-performing graduates, ranging from the best student to the best marksman. They each received a trophy and a certificate.
Nancy Malatji, who was awarded the trophy for best academic student, said she was overwhelmed. “I really worked hard and I will make sure I serve Tshwane to the best of my ability.”
The parade was attended by Ramokgopa, Ngobeni, mayoral committee member for community safety Terence Mashego and relatives and friends of the graduates.
tankiso.makhetha@inl.co.za
Pretoria News
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