The Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, yesterday, officiated at the pass out of officer cadet intake eight at Police Training School (PTS) Gishari where he commissioned 429 officers.
The Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, yesterday, officiated at the pass out of officer cadet intake eight at Police Training School (PTS) Gishari where he commissioned 429 officers.
The minister, who represented President Paul Kagame, commissioned the officers to the rank of "Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP).”
The graduates started the course in May last year and they include 55 females and 14 ‘Allied Students’ 10 from South Sudan, two from Uganda, and two others from Namibia.
The cadet officers also include 10 officers from Rwanda Correctional Services (RCS), who were also awarded the rank of Assistant Inspector of Prisons.
This is the fourth cadet course to be conducted at PTS; previous intakes were conducted at the National Police College (NPC) Musanze.
At least 1839 officers have graduated in all eight cadet courses.
Minister Harerimana congratulated the officers upon successfully completing the training, which lasted for 15 months.
"This is the foundation to quality policing services, transparency, preserving the rule of law and ensuring a safer Rwanda for all,” the Minister said.
"This is an indication of the value Rwanda attaches to safety and security and the lessons learnt from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. If the country had good leadership and security agencies dedicated to the best of the country and residents, we could not have lost lives.”
"Ensuring and preserving security is the responsibility of everyone; this is what President Kagame reminds us always.”
He noted that the level of development the county has attained in terms of good governance, justice, economy and welfare wouldn’t have been realised if security organs hadn’t played their role.
He commended the Rwanda National Police for its professional services both at home and across borders in peacekeeping mission.
To the cadet officers, he said: "This is your day. Being an officer comes with responsibility...it is a sign of patriotism, a spirit you should instill in those you lead or meet, as officers you should always be ready to sacrifice and serve your country with honour.”
The minister particularly congratulated the ‘Allied Students’ and thanked their countries for choosing Rwanda as their choice of training destination.
"This doesn’t only strengthen our country-to-country ties but also strengthens cooperation between our security organs in maintaining peace and security across the African continent,” the minister said.
He further thanked parents for allowing and supporting their sons and daughters to serve their country.
The Commandant of PTS, Commissioner of Police John Bosco Kabera, said the cadet course is designed to enrich the knowledge and skills of the already serving officers and elevates the recruited civilians to the officership standard.
"We are confident that the course will help them make informed judgements and decisions while executing their policing duties,” CP Kabera said.
The officers covered both theoretical and practical lessons, including police duties, drills, weapon training, operation staff work and police operations.
Others include leadership, command and management law, road safety and international peacekeeping missions.
"You have a big role to play as future leaders of Rwanda National Police, to deliver on the force’s constitutional mandate. This can’t be achieved without the support and involvement of the people we serve; the willingness of the people but to cooperate with us will depend very much on our day-to-day policing approach,” the commandant noted.
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