South Sudanese concerned as National Police Service is set to graduate police personnel

The South Sudan National Police Service is set to graduate up to three thousand (3,000) police personnel to be deployed across the country.

According to a publication by Radio Miraya seen by NCMP, the men and women have served in the police force for at least five years and recently completed a nine-month refresher course at the Rajaf Police training school. The acting police spokesperson Col James Dak says the officers will protect civilians against all forms of robberies, highway security threats, and armed bandits.

But in response to this development, most South Sudanese expressed their concerns. First, the Police have been in the training center more than the expected period. The officers have been there for almost four years.

Some express with dismay that there is no clear-cut difference in the role and responsibility of the Police and the national security. Recently what supposes to be the duty of the Police was seen to have been carried out by the NSS. So what’s the wisdom in training more police when national security has taken over their role?

Some South Sudanese broached on their social media. What role will they play after graduation? Or is the Police going to be supervised by the National Security? Can the Police play its role under the supervision of National Security? All these questions are bubbling in the mind of South Sudanese.

Others also raised the question of how the government is going to pay them. Is there a budget for these Police personnel? Some suggested that if the government caters for the civil servants, insecurity decreases. Others encourage the government to put an infrastructure in place and have a proper budget as they plan to graduate the Police personnel.

There is a need for reform in the entire system of training and recruiting of the Police. South Sudanese is asking for a proper timeline, the recruitment process should consider the qualifications, age, and regional balance. The public and the personnel need to be aware of the time of recruitment, graduation.

The graduation is expected to take place on the 9th of this month at the Dr John Garang Mausoleum.