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Crime Reporter
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) is still conducting refresher, developmental and induction courses so that its members remain up to date with dynamic policing.

Although no statistics could be obtained by yesterday on how many officers had been trained so far, The Herald has it on good authority that most officers, especially those from the ranks of assistant inspector and below, had attended the course while others are still attending in their provinces.

A senior police officer confirmed that most provinces had heeded calls by Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to have all officers undertake such courses.

“Remember the Commissioner-General recently said the refresher, developmental and induction courses would be conducted with renewed vigour. Most of the commanders have since taken heed of this call as a way of transforming the police,” said the senior police officer. The officer said the process was still continuing until each and every officer had undertaken such a course.

Last month, Acting Officer Commanding Mashonaland Central Province Assistant Commissioner Trust Nhapata confirmed that they had started retraining police officers on customer service.

“We are conducting refresher courses targeting constables and assistant inspectors. So far we have trained 50 junior officers in this province. We are retraining all our officers in public order management,” he said.

In December last year, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said they would not hesitate to resuscitate the National Development Committee and to empower the Inspectorate Unit to enhance supervision of police activities at all levels.

“There is a well-known Shona saying that, ‘kugona chivi kuzvituka’, may I, therefore, urge all of us to self-introspect, accept that our challenges emanate from lack of or inadequate supervision and unbecoming actions by some of our members, which have no doubt eroded public trust, faith and confidence in the police service,” he said.

“The young police officers need our constant and regular guidance so that they do not stray and malign the good name and image of the police service.”

Customer satisfaction, professionalism, respect, courteousness and restraint, Comm-Gen Matanga said, would be the epitome of all police activities.