Cape Town - Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane, urged newly graduated South African Police Officers not to “balloon” in size, on Wednesday.
“You are not going to make it, if you are unfit. You are not going to make it, if you opt to balloon out, hoping that you are going to get a bigger size uniform,” he said.
Phahlane was speaking at the Passing Out Parade at the Vygieskraal Stadium in Athlone. The parade marked the completion of the Basic Police Development Learning Programme. Of 1 926 graduates, 1 324 will be deployed in the Western Cape, due to an influx of crime and a rise in the number of complaints relating to shortages of personnel.
He challenged the newly appointees to practice what they have learnt during their training, which lasted two years and urged them to carry those practices forward.
Addressing the crowd, the acting police commissioner gave a stern warning that corruption in the institution will not be tolerated.
“I hope that you have come to the South African Police Service as one those who have answered the call. You did not come to SAPS with an agenda, a ticket of pursuing your corrupt and or criminal activities .That would be unfortunate but, if that is to be the case, we will soon find out and we will soon let you go! “
Mojo IOL