Africa-Press – South-Africa. A substantial shift towards advancing investigative capacity and crime scene management skills within the SA Police Service has been announced by national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.
The service is also seeking to retain its top talent through additional financial incentives and promotions, he told a news briefing alongside police minister Senzo Mchunu on Friday.
DETECTIVES
To retain detectives, police management will introduce a “detective investigator scarce skills allowance”.
Masemola said: “The extra incentive is over and above the increase of the service allowance our operational members are receiving.”
More than 785 detectives will be added to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) to boost their work in combating national priority offences, serious organised crime and serious corruption investigations.
Additional detectives will be deployed to the top 30 high-contact crime police stations. The stations that are spread across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, have high levels of contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, rape, gender-based violence and assault.
“We will also be embarking on the recruitment of detectives on contract basis. These include retired seasoned detectives and those who resigned in good standing.
CRIME INTELLIGENCE
“In the crime intelligence environment, 300 more operatives are undergoing the necessary training and on conclusion will be deployed to the provinces to enhance our intelligence capacity.”
Another 4,000 new officers will join the detective environment in this financial year. Masemola said the bulk of detectives are being recruited from the ranks of newly trained constables who are receiving their workplace exposure at stations across the country.
FORENSIC SCIENCE
An additional 675 forensic science laboratory analysts and crime scene experts are undergoing workplace training at station level. Their mandate will be to improve and expedite evidence collected at crime scenes. Some will be deployed to capacitate the four forensic labs.
ALLOWANCES
“As a way of retaining skills and talent within our high-risk environments, we are introducing a scarce skills allowance for the national intervention unit,” Masemola announced.
“We will also increase the scarce skills allowance for the counter assault team.”
The two units respond to high-risk crimes ranging from cash-in-transit armed robberies to ATM bombings.
The allowance will also be extended to hostage negotiators, police divers and airborne law enforcement officers who work in the air wing unit and are deployed to assist ground units during operations, and to coastal skippers and vessel handlers, who are responsible for conducting inspections on vessels that come into the country at all seaports.
Last year, the ranks of the special task force unit were adjusted to an entry level of warrant officer with an increase in their scarce skills allowance as a retention strategy.
PROGRESSION
Masemola said during this financial year, police management is considering progressing 10,000 constables and sergeants who have been at their rank for more than 11 years. An additional 1,000 warrant officers will also be considered for progression to a higher salary band.
CALL CENTRES
He said 575 call centre operators have been trained and deployed to serve as call takers at 10111 centres across the country. Masemola said this has greatly assisted the service to ensure a more rapid response to crime-related emergencies.
STATION COMMANDERS
At local level, 150 station commanders’ positions have been filled.
“We have also introduced a mandatory station commanders induction course over and above the station management learning programme for all newly appointed station commanders to assist in enhancing the much-needed skills and knowledge required to run a police station.”
VEHICLES AND RECRUITMENT
Budget has been set aside to procure more vehicles for provinces. Priority will go to police stations and units to enhance police visibility and police response.
At the end of this month, the police service will, through an online recruitment process, advertise to recruit 5,500 trainees. Their training will commence between January and February 2026. Eligible candidates need to be under the age of 35.
Among the intake of 5,500 police trainees, some will graduate in August while the rest will graduate in December.
For More News And Analysis About South-Africa Follow Africa-Press
