A total of 230 newly-trained South African Police Service (SAPS) constables will be deployed to various stations across the metro.
Police spokesperson Captain Augustinah Selepe said their welcoming ceremony was held at Lucas Moripe stadium in Atteridgeville on Monday morning.
Out of the 230 trainees, nine constables were allocated to the Pretoria West policing precinct.
“We are excited and glad to get these new officers,” said Pretoria West station commander Colonel Michelle Toohey.
“The station is happy the province trained our very own previous reservists who have been loyal to us and managed to complete the basic training. Our provincial commissioner is helping us by giving us these new officers to help in the fight against crime in the community.”
Toohey said the officers come as a much-needed relief as they will now have more police officers to deploy.
“We have a problem with hijackings, burglaries, business break-ins and theft of motor vehicles; so these police officers will help us curb these crimes.”
She added that the officers will not be deployed right away as they have to get in-service training in their client service centre first.
“They need to learn the books, how to open a docket and so on. We have to monitor all of that before we can deploy on the streets.”
Toohey said the station wanted to assure residents that service delivery will improve with the addition of the nine officers.
“It is going to be of help to the community as visibility will increase.”
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Acting district commissioner Brigadier Abbey Mbangwa Nkhwashu welcomed the 230 newly appointed constables.
Nkhwashu said sadly one of the trainees succumbed to Covid-19.
He urged the officers to serve the community with pride, dignity, and respect for all human rights.
Nkhwashu also reminded them that corruption and dishonesty tarnished the SAPS’s image and many police officers ended up behind bars, with criminal records, and losing their jobs.
He emphasised that corruption and illegal activities would not be tolerated.
