Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
POLICE Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba yesterday warned newly graduated police officers to shun corruption when discharging their duties, saying the scourge remains a serious challenge and that its temptations can be high.
He said the police service does not tolerate such activities and anyone found will face the full wrath of the law.
Comm-Gen Mutamba said this at a pass out parade of 797 policemen and women yesterday at Mkushi Camp in Harare after they completed a two year training course.
The ceremony was attended by Cabinet ministers, senior Government officials, service chiefs and retired senior officers, including former Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga, Deputy Commissioner Generals Innocent Matibiri, Josephine Shambare and Erasmus Makodza.
Of the 797 graduates, 242 are female and 555 are male. All hold Diplomas in Police Studies.
In his address, Comm-Gen Mutamba said modern policing is complex and multifaceted and such challenges can only be addressed through dynamic and continuous human capital development.
“As you graduate today, I have no doubt in your capacity to deliver, given the wide range of areas covered during your training,” he said.
“Subjects such as Forensic Investigation, Criminal Law, the Law of Evidence and Cybercrime Investigation, among others, have become central pillars of the modern law enforcement landscape. “The fact that you covered them extensively provides some guarantee to your preparedness in acquitting yourselves in the policing complexities strewn in your career paths ahead.”
Comm-Gen Mutamba said the intersection of technological advancement and human ingenuity, while positively transforming society, had also given rise to increasingly sophisticated forms of crime.
“In such an evolving environment, society’s watchmen can no longer be mere spectators; you must be practitioners of cyber-security and intelligence-led policing.
“Equally, public confidence in the criminal justice system rests heavily on the police officer’s ability to properly identify, gather, and preserve evidence that supports the delivery of justice and fortifies a just society.”
Comm Gen Mutamba said their ability, as custodians of national peace and security, to fulfil this sacred constitutional obligation forms a firm foundation for national developmental aspirations spelt out through Vision 2030.
He reminded them that failure at an individual level contributes to organisational weakness and ultimately, undermines national development.
“A police officer who ignores traffic violations may later confront the tragic loss of innocent lives resulting from that neglect.
“Likewise, failure to promptly respond to a crime scene often results in lost evidence, cases that become unnecessarily difficult to resolve and lost hope for a crime victim. It is only through dedicated service, anchored in professionalism, integrity and commitment, that you will be effective in the duty you have sworn to perform. Remain disciplined and guided by the Police Code of Ethics at all times.
“As a seasoned officer myself, I am fully aware of the risks that await you in the field; some of which have the potential to tarnish your image and jeopardise your future. Corruption is one such danger.
“It remains a serious challenge and the temptation can be high. My counsel to you is simple; stay away from this contamination. The organisation does not tolerate corruption and society abhors it as it expects professional and ethical service at all times,” he said.
The Comm-Gen said corruption was more than a cancer as it destroyed the moral fabric of society and erodes public trust in the Police Service.
