By Bennie Mundando
ZAMBIA Police Service has embarked on in-service training aimed at equipping police offers with necessary and appropriate skills to enable them perform their duties so as to meet expectations of the community.
Launching the training programme at Zambia Police College today, Inspector General of Police, Kakoma Kanganja says his command attaches great importance to training because it is the foundation of any functional system and a critical tool to enhancing proficiency and effectiveness in every organisation, the Zambia Police Service inclusive.
“I wish from the onset to announce that this program is not only commencing here at Lilayi but also in the other two police training schools and a total of 150 officers will undergo training during the initial refresher course in crowd management.
“I have directed that all trainees should be imparted and exposed to similar skills in order to obtain standardized skills in handling and dealing with riotous behaviour,” Mr. Kanganja said.
He says the training program will be ongoing and that his command will ensure that almost every police officer is exposed to the training as this was for purposes of adequately preparing for policing of the 2021 general elections and beyond.
He says Government has acquired modern equipment in line with the United Nations Standards on Crowd Management.
“The assorted equipment and tools will help heighten operational efficiency in the police service as officers will now be able to swiftly respond to any form of crime. Further, the equipment will enable officers to proficiently police the 2021 general election,” he said.
He says the intention of this gesture by government is noble and simply meant to meet proper policing methods of modern times aimed at combating any form of lawlessness and disorder in the country thereby protecting the precious lives and property of innocent members of the society.
He has wondered why some quarters of society were circulating falsehoods amongst members of the public including use of social media suggesting that arming the police with equipment is meant to intimidate the citizenry.
“I therefore urge all peace loving Zambians to ignore such rumor mongering as it can be a source of despondency and may lead to loss of public confidence in the police,” he said.
He has warned perpetrators of violence and those bent towards disturbing peace that police will not sit idle and see anarchy become the order of the day in the country like what was witnessed in past elections.
He says the police is on high alert and ready to deal with any unruly behaviour from whichever quarter of society this may come from.
