The City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Directorate hosted a graduation ceremony for 70 new recruits today – 40 Metro Police officers and 30 traffic officers, as well as one Law Enforcement academy facilitator.
The ceremony capped more than a year of hard learning and development at the Metro Police Training Academy.
The graduates were among 13 000 applicants who initially applied for the positions in 2016. They were whittled down to 2 754 who met the selection criteria and then had to complete a rigorous eight-day assessment, after which only 889 were left standing.
The candidates who passed the written assessment were then subjected to an interview process for final selection. What followed was a 12-month Further Education and Training course in Road Traffic Law Enforcement. The course also included training in how to handle a firearm and conduct roadblocks and point duty, as well as restraining techniques and agility.
The Metro Police trainees had to do an additional 12-week Law Enforcement Skills Programme. This section of the training included crime prevention, tactical street survival, professional conduct, and how to deal with domestic violence, child victims and child offenders.
‘This is a very special day for the recruits, but also the City of Cape Town. I want them to savour the moment, having made it to the top of the pile of thousands of applicants. However, the uniform comes with great responsibility. They have pledged to serve and protect their communities and I urge them to lead by example in everything they do,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security; and Social Services, Alderman JP Smith.
The graduates will be drafted into the ranks of the Metropolitan Police Department and Cape Town Traffic Service and deployed in line with their department’s operational needs.
‘This graduation is just another example of the City’s commitment to building safer communities, in line with the Organisational Development and Transformation Plan. We are augmenting our enforcement services to the best of our ability. I know there are many people who would love to see a traffic officer on every street corner, but the reality is that we can only provide as many resources as our budget allows. Also, more importantly, we cannot rely on enforcement alone to change our culture of lawlessness. It requires each and every one of us to take responsibility for our actions,’ added Alderman Smith.
The graduation ceremony also saw ranks and certificates awarded to the City’s Metro Police Youth Cadets. The cadet programme currently has 125 registered cadets – 59 girls and 66 boys who were selected from 37 schools that participated in the Metro Police youth camps.
The cadet programme was launched in 2014 and aims to equip participants with advanced life skills and build resilience in the face of daily social challenges, particularly in areas where youth are more at risk of negative influences.
‘The cadet programme is arguably one of our most exciting and successful social crime prevention initiatives. Not only have we helped shape more than 100 young leaders, but it has also highlighted the fact that the Metro Police Department is about so much more than just enforcement. I am excited for the future of these young people. We’ve had so many success stories already, some directly facilitated by the City and others as a result of the platform provided through the cadet programme, and we will continue to do everything possible to shape the development of the current crop, but also future youth cadets,’ said Alderman Smith.