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The South African Police Service said it would be deploying more members to forensic science laboratories and to police stations following the graduation of 552 new recruits this week.
Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said that of that number, 245 have Bachelor of Science degrees, and “the majority of them have already been placed within different disciplines within the Forensic Science Laboratories Division.
“As forensic analysts, they will be responsible for analysis of forensic evidence that is utilised in court to secure lengthy convictions for those found to be on the wrong side of the law,” she said.
She said the others including reservists that are now fully fledged Constables will be deployed to stations to capacitate grassroots level of policing.
Mathe said the new graduates are part of the cohort of 10 000 police officers who were deployed to stations since December 2022.
Meanwhile, she said there are currently 8600 trainees in SAPS academies currently undergoing the Basic Police Learning Development Programme, an additional 400 will commence training in July and the remaining 1000 will commence training in January 2024.
The recruitment and training of 10 000 police officers for the 2024/2025 financial year is set to commence in July 2023.
