01 Oct 2026

When we picture the men and women of the Botswana Police Service (BPS), we often see them standing as unyielding guardians against crime and danger. But behind the uniform and the demanding shifts are human beings who carry the heavy emotional weight of society’s most difficult moments.

The reality behind the badge became the focal point during the recent 2026 National Month of Prayer observance, where Commissioner of Police, Ms Dinah Marathe urged police officers to prioritise their health and well-being as they continued protecting the lives of others.

In her address, Ms Marathe reminded the gathering that while vehicles, technology and infrastructure were important, they could never replace the service’s most valuable asset.

“Police officers are the most critical resource of the service and could not be replaced by vehicles, technology or infrastructure,” she noted.

She pointed out that this year’s theme: Let There Be Life, carried a meaning for law enforcement given that every day, officers stepped into harrowing environments, facing deaths, devastating road crashes, abused children, traumatised victims and violent offenders.

Because the demands of policing naturally breed fatigue and emotional strain, the commissioner laid out practical steps for self-care and urged officers to seek help when needed, undergo regular medical screenings, actively look after their mental health, get enough rest, and exercise regularly.

On public health, she also called on personnel to take HIV prevention and treatment seriously, reminding them that Botswana continued to record new HIV infections despite significant progress in the national response.

Integrity, she stressed, began at home.

She therefore challenged officers on the issue of gender-based violence and she insisted that safety must start within the police family and private homes.

She said there could be no contradiction between the values officers enforced in public and how they conducted themselves behind closed doors.

On the road, Ms Marathe reminded colleagues that badges did not grant immunity, thus urged them to lead by example.

She noted that police officers were road users too, just as vulnerable to the hazards of speeding, fatigue, alcohol, distraction and careless driving.

To ensure that officers did not suffer in silence, Ms Marathe turned her attention to leadership and called on supervisors to cultivate compassionate environments where staff felt safe seeking early help.

“Leadership must have a human face,” she said, urging commanders to ask officers whether they were well and to listen when they needed support.

Ultimately, she emphasised that prayer must translate into action, with faith strengthening both personal conduct and professional responsibility.

She called on the entire service to foster a culture that valued life, where colleagues rallied around those facing grief, stress or addiction and stepped in to intervene when relationships turned violent.

In her remarks, the Commissioner thanked wellness professionals, social workers, counsellors and health partners for standing beside law enforcement and encouraged all members of the service to make full use of the health and wellness resources available to them. ENDS