Metro police get US training

A group of metro police officers should be more effective in their duties, after they completed a training course run by the former deputy chief of the Los Angeles police department.
THERE was a moment of joy when 30 metro police officers were awarded certificates after completing a course on supervisory development at a ceremony at the force’s headquarters in Martindale.

Chief of Police Chris Ngcobo congratulates JMPD officers Chief of police Chris Ngcobo congratulates JMPD officers for completing a course on supervisory developmentChief of the Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD), Chris Ngcobo; the JMPD spokesperson, Wayne Minnaar; the former Los Angeles police department deputy chief of police, Willie Pennell; and United States embassy officials attended the event, held on Friday, 2 September.

Ngcobo congratulated the officers for successfully completing the course, saying he was “confident that you will apply your new training to the performance of your function”.

Leadership, motivation, problem solving, sexual harassment and communication were covered on the five-day course, which was the result of a partnership between the two forces. Joburg and its American counterparts have a programme of ongoing skills exchange and training.

Pennell was responsible for training the officers. He said: “The training programme intends to provide participants with the skills and knowledge that could translate in more effective job performance.”

Beaming with happiness, Steve Havenga, a lecturer at the JMPD Academy, was one of the officers who completed the course. He said it had taught him the importance of upholding the department’s policies.

Willie from the Los Angeles police department awards a JMPD official with a certificateWillie Pennell from the Los Angeles police department awards a JMPD official with a certificate“It was an informative course and I would recommend it to any department.”

Sergeant Silas Madumo said he was impressed with its structuring, and added that he would apply what he had learnt in his day-to-day duties.

“I am grateful that I am one of the few people who were chosen to attend the course … I enjoyed [it] very much and felt that it was relevant to my rank,” he said.

Patrick Mabasa, also a sergeant, added: “It is motivating to have such courses like this … What is now left is to work hard and show our commitment.”

In 2007, members of the metro police and the South African Police Service received extensive training in terrorist financing and money laundering from FBI specialists.