Police university to open doors next year

Speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between his Ministry and the Department of Higher Education in Cape Town on Tuesday, 22 October 2013, Mthethwa said the official opening of the university is scheduled to commence during January 2014 with an intake of 120 learners.

The university, which will take over the Paarl SAPS Academy, will offer higher levels such as Honours, Masters and Doctorates over the years.

The programme has been drawn up in consultation with Unisa and the Council of Higher Education and the recruitment of potential students is scheduled to take place and be finalized before the end of November, said Mthethwa.

He said the difference between the traditional SAPS College and the SAPS University would be that the SAPS University will consist of two legs -- the academic leg, which will provide academic qualifications under the direct control with full autonomy of a partnering university.

"The second leg, the police professional leg, will allow for the instilling of discipline, police culture, patriotism, the preservation of police culture and the professionalisation of police within a controlled police environment."

According to the minister, the university forms part of efforts of building a new cadre of police officers who will be empowered with high-level skills to improve policing.

"It is also important to ensure that we empower police members by developing their specialised knowledge and helping them to acquire specific technical know-how as well as academic expertise.

"More importantly, we want to begin to attract high-calibre recruits/students who will regard SAPS as an employer of choice."

The university, he said, would also address various inadequacies within the force.

"In fact, we are also revisiting the current SAPS Recruitment Strategy to encapsulate the whole continuum from recruitment to retirement in order to determine and put more emphasis on career-pathing of members to ensure staff retention and to minimize attrition."