NamPol Inspector General, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, has commended the government for addressing a lack of manpower in the police force.
He remarked this when he officially opened the police basic training course at the Ruben Danger Ashipala Police Training Centre in Ondangwa.
The police's basic training is being attended by 841 cadet constables. Of these, 572 are male and 279 are female.
They were recruited from all 14 of the country's regions.
The training is aimed at shaping the future cadet constables to be catalysts for peace and security in the country and beyond.
The training, which commenced on the 1st of last month, will run for nine months.
During the first eight months, constables will be trained on theoretical and physical activities, while the last month will focus on integrated learning at police stations in various regions.
"Representation of all our people is here today on the parade; the only thing that we still have to work out as a nation is representation of the while community, and they are not excluded because the applications are open; we give the advertisement publicly for any Namibian to apply who meets minimum requirements."
Lieutenant General Shikongo says policing is a profession that requires commitment, integrity, and genuine passion to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
The force also acts as guardians of justice, pillars of society, and protectors of peace, order, and security.
"Colleagues, you join the organisation at the time when we need you the most. I was at nbc where I was invited to attend a particular programme, and that programme is to answer the calls of our people. Our people are complaining about service delivery, and I want instructors that are going to deal with these students to ensure efficiency and productivity. The outcome of this training should be a beacon of hope for our people to ensure that we have injected new blood into our system and that we are talking about getting better every day."
A mammoth task is bestowed upon instructors to transform the cadet constables academically, mentally, and physically from a civilian lifestyle to fully functional and disciplined members of the police force.
"You are expected to be exemplary at all times in terms of discipline and dressing code; hence, unprofessional behaviours or disregard for cultural diversity would not be tolerated. I therefore encourage you to steer the course to its logical conclusion," warned the police chief.