Police college passes out maiden intake

Pioneer graduates of the Rwanda National Police College have been urged to practice skills and knowledge acquired during their one-year course by executing their duties with utmost professionalism.The call was made yesterday by the Minister for Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, as he presided over the pass-out of 28 senior police senior officers from different countries.The curriculum includes police senior command and staff course offered by the National Police College and masters’ programme in peace studies and conflict transformation delivered by the National University of RwandaAccording to officials, the course offers knowledge and skills in tactical policing and it offered the graduates a global understanding of peace and conflict dimensions.“As pioneers of this regional centre of excellence you should be good ambassadors of this institution by demonstrating professionalism in execution of your duties in your respective nations,” said Harerimana.He hailed UK-based Bramshill College of Policing, the National University of Rwanda, Kigali Institute Science and Technology and Kigali Institute of Education for their partnership to security human resource.A total of 28 senior officers from Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, Zambia, Kenya, Somalia, Ghana, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, and hosts Rwanda graduated from the college.Degrees awardedThe event also saw some 36 officers graduate with bachelor’s degree in police professional studies offered in partnership with Kigali Institute of Education.The Minister for Education, Dr Vincent Biruta, pledged support in terms of imparting knowledge and skills to police staff as long as the support is requested to strengthen the human resource of the police force.“We commend this achievement and pledge our continued partnership, to support all initiatives aimed at enhancing professionalism of our force,” Dr Biruta said.The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel Gasana, told the graduates: “You have been equipped with the skills, knowledge and abilities, a value addition to reshape policing in your respective countries.”Participants who have completed the course said they will effectively use skills and knowledge acquired to fulfill their mission as commanders.“We are happy for having acquired new skills in policing because there are new demands; currently crimes take different trends and need different tactics, particularly, the skills acquired here will help more in strategic planning, ” said Joel Aguma, an Assistant Commissioner in the Uganda Police.The second intake will commence next month according to officials from the National Police College.