Police officers have been urged to be beacons of justice and morality as well as to safeguard the standards of discipline and professionalism that have become the hallmark of the ZRP.

Officiating at a graduation ceremony recently held at Morris Depot in Harare, Commissioner Training and Human Resources Development, Commissioner Grace Nomsa Ndebele urged police officers to be beacons of justice and morality.

‘‘…allow me at this point to urge you, graduands on parade to grow into beacons of justice and morality in the communities you will serve. While it is an undeniable fact that the primary role of police is to enforce the laws of the country, allow me also to stress that in doing this demanding duty, you must and ought to exhibit a human face,’’ she said.

Commissioner Ndebele also urged police officers to give high respect to the rights of citizens at the same time ensuring that they give all clients a full measure of service and more so to desist from indulging in illegal and corrupt activities that tarnish the image of the organisation.

“The ZRP does not tolerate corrupt elements and has both legal and administrative apparatus to eject such from its system,’’ said Commissioner Ndebele.

The senior officer also emphasised on the need by the graduating recruits to embrace community policing initiatives in the quest to fully embrace community policing initiatives in the quest to maintain law and order.

“…you must remember that police is the cornerstone of the country’s peace and security, but it can only ‘do’ that role with the support of the community. Therefore, as you take up your posts, you must always be cognisant of the need to render selfless quality service to the people,’’ she said.

The graduation parade comprised 22 trainees -14 females and 8 males - who were drawn from various police departments as well as sections and integrated into main stream policing. The trainees had undergone six months   rigorous training which covered among other subjects Police Duties and Investigations, Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 and other statutes, Political History of Zimbabwe, Human Rights and Policing, Public Order Management, Weapon Handling, Foot and Arms Drill, Information Technology and Basic Accounting.

The training in Information Technology, said Commissioner Ndebele, was necessitated by the increase in cyber crimes that were occurring due to the ever changing technological environment.