Minister graces local peace officers' graduation

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GEORGE NEWS & VIDEO - A group of 10 newly qualified George peace officers were privileged to receive their certificates in the presence of Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen, George Mayor Leon van Wyk and Garden Route District Municipality Mayor Memory Booysen.

The graduation ceremony was held in the George Civic Centre Banquet Hall on Monday 15 May.

Reagen said the department made similar investments into the future of youngsters in other districts, including Mossel Bay and Hessequa, and thanked the participating municipalities for collaborating on the programme.

He said the department made this investment into their futures and that he was delighted that the youngsters graduated. He would like to see that they have work opportunities after finishing this course. He said he wanted these youngsters to succeed in their careers and would want to see that the police service and Law Enforcement’s arms are strengthened by the young blood.

Van Wyk was very proud of the graduates. He said one of the municipality’s priorities is to provide safety to its citizens and, with youngsters available to safety practitioners such as Law Enforcement and the police, this objective is closer to being reached.

One of the graduates, Sakhikhaya Ximba, thanked the department and the George Municipality for the exposure and the training. Sherelee Gericke, another graduate, said the training was tough but very good, and thanked all involved as well as her heavenly Father. She said the long nights of studying had paid off.

VIDEO: George Municipality's Peace Officers Graduation Ceremony

Among the graduates were two brothers, Aldrin (21) and Alan-Junior(AJ) (19) du Plessis. For these two, being peace officers runs in the family, as their parents, Leonie and Alan, also completed the course.

Leonie congratulated all the officers with finishing the course and said the best is yet to come. She said she looked forward to seeing the youngsters grow further. “We as parents are very proud of you. I give you scripture, Jeremiah 29 verse 11 to take with you on your journey ahead.”

This police oversight programme forms part of the Western Cape Safety Plan (WCSP), which prioritises the strengthening of municipal law enforcement capacity across the Western Cape, particularly to enhance urban/rural safety and combat crime within communities. More than R1,075m is being invested in these officers, according to Razzaq Lagkar, deputy director of safety promotion and partnerships at the department.

The officers were trained between 27 March and 12 May at the Bnei Akiva campsite in Mossel Bay.

The training provided individuals with the capability to demonstrate and understand the role and function of a peace officer and traffic warden. The following fields were covered:

Law Enforcement and the Constitution
The Constitution of South Africa 108 of 1995
Principles of criminal law and rules of interpretation of law
Outline of the law of criminal procedure
Legislation and the national road traffic act pertaining to traffic wardens
Schedule 1 and 3 offences
Law of Evidence and Criminal courts
Practical: 56 & 341 administrative notices
Adherence to professional conduct and organisational ethics

Along with the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) certificate, graduates in the district also received a 12-month Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) contract/internship with their respective municipalities.

The group of graduates together with George Traffic Chief Janine Wells (second from left) and the men in suits: George Mayor Leon Van Wyk, Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen and Garden Route District Mayor Memory Booysen.

The ecstatic graduates with the VIPs (in suits) from left: George Mayor Leon Van Wyk, Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Reagen Allen and Garden Route District Mayor Memory Booysen.