Pretoria - The South African Police Service (SAPS) has shortened their Basic Training Learning Programme (BTLP) from 24 months to an intensive eight months.
The revised training programme is aimed at a more proactive policing qualification, which should result in a professional, client-centred service to the citizens of South Africa.
“The aim of this new training programme is to meet operational needs at station, cluster and provincial levels in line with the Back-to-Basics approach to policing,” Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the Divisional Commissioner for Human Resource Development, said on Tuesday.
“This has put an emphasis on having a committed, disciplined and professional police service that works in partnership with an active citizenry in the fight against crime.”
On Monday, 11 April, 5 000 new recruits were welcomed at SAPS academies across the country under the new programme.
Currently 3 000 recruits are concluding 12 months of field training as part of the old programme that is being phased out.
This brings to 8 000, the number of trainees who will be ready for deployment by December 2016.
Mkhwanazi said the trainees will be exposed to academic and tactical training.
This will include an experiential learning stage presented at Community Service Centres (CSCs) at police stations within the proximity of SAPS Academies nationally, he said.
This revised programme will comprise an induction phase of one month, which is intended to familiarise the trainee with the police station and the basic activities of the CSCs.
“This will enhance trainees’ understanding of police work and should also improve their learning abilities,” Mkhwanazi said.
Trainees will also be introduced to the Human Resource Framework and the culture of the SAPS, including the acceptable level of discipline required of SAPS members. – SAnews.gov.za
