Any law enforcement agency needs personnel beyond reproach, skilled and passionate about protecting and serving the public. It is thus of great concern that the South African Police Service (SAPS) admitted that three people had been arrested for collusion regarding alleged irregularities in the recruitment and selection processes of SAPS trainees.
“Training is an essential part of a law enforcement agency’s recruitment process, and it is critical to ensure that recruits receive appropriate training to carry out their duties effectively,” said Tshepi Mmekwa, Action Centre coordinator at Action Society. “This training should include ethics and integrity, community policing, human rights, and a range of other skills necessary for modern policing.”
More than a thousand SAPS trainees are demanding that the new police intake recruitment process be halted amid allegations of bribery and rigging. These recruits passed all their assessment criteria tests but were left off the final list in favour of people who allegedly bribed recruitment officers.
“If the allegations of bribery are true, it undermines the department’s integrity and can lead to a lack of trust from the public,” said Mmekwa. “The SAPS and the South African government must take a firm stand against corruption in law enforcement and work to rebuild public trust in the department. It is essential to take action to address the issue and ensure that the recruitment process is fair and transparent”.
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