14 Aug 2020

 Botswana Police Service (BPS) is working hard to ensure progression of special constables.

Responding to a concern from Bobirwa MP, Mr Taolo Lucas during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting recently, Commissioner of Police, Mr Keabetswe Makgophe, said there were over 3 000 special constables countrywide, employed on a two-year fixed contract that could be renewed. 

Mr Makgophe noted that in efforts to help the special constables to progress into fully fledged officers, the police college recruited 90 per cent of its annual intake from the special constables’ cadre. 

He said the remaining 10 per cent was recruited externally because there was need for more advanced skills that special constables might not have.

He further said another factor, which might lead to slow progression was that special constables who are over 35 years of age could not go for police training due to issues of physical fitness.Mr Lucas had expressed concern about the slow progression of special constables into fully fledged constables.

He maintained that some of them had taken long to be elevated, despite having been on the ground for some time. ends