Mutengene: Over 2,400 fresh police officers urged to serve with honour, loyalty….

Mbarga Nguele made the call in Mutengene, Fako Division of South West Region, on Friday, October 25, 2024. 

This was during the ceremony to send forth Cadet Police Inspectors and Cadet Police Constables, trained at the Muntengene Police School. The ceremony was marked by the award of diplomas and epaulets to the officers who had come to the end of their training.

Among the 2,444 graduates were 168 professional Police Inspectors (126 men and 42 women); 96 Special Police Inspectors, and 431 Direct Police Inspectors made up of 375 men and 56 women. A majority of them 1,749, were Police Constables comprising 1,498 men and 260 women 

While welcoming them into the national security family, the police boss, Mbarga Nguele, reminded them of their duties and responsibilities towards the State and the population. 

“…you have the obligation to serve the Institutions of The Republic and protect the population. It is an obligation, which you must fulfil with honour, loyalty, and faithfulness; with dedication, fidelity, and impartiality; with integrity, diligence, and efficiency,” he stated.

He reminded the officers that their private and professional lives are interwoven. This, Mbarga Nguele said, requires that the officers stay professional at all times.  “…this profession that you have voluntarily chosen requires you to refrain from gestures, words, acts, or demonstrations likely to discredit the national institutions and the police force. This profession also requires you, in everyday life, to behave as honest and worthy citizens,” the police boss noted.

As front-line actors in the preservation of public order and the protection of citizens and their properties, he called on them to put the skills and knowledge acquired to good use. 

The Delegate General for National Security reminded the officers that they are graduating at a time the crime environment is changing. He said the present context is marked by terrorist attacks against citizens and personnel of the defence and security forces, kidnappings for ransom and cowardly assassinations. 

The urban landscape, he added, is characterised by new forms of emerging crimes, including cybercrime and all forms of digital fraud, human trafficking, as well as the consumption of narcotics and other substances. 

He sounded positive with the quality of training the officers received while in school, insisting that they are ripe to protect the population and their properties.

“…the actions you take every day must tend toward the citizen's well-being and now that you will be deployed in the field, you must therefore keep in mind that you are embarking on a priestly career of sacrifices, which requires you to be available at all times, 24 hours a day,” he stated.

He warned the police officers against becoming businesspersons, politicians, engaging in lucrative professional activities or joining trade unions. Mbarga Nguele said the only exceptions could be rural production, literary and artistic works. 

Social media use, professional secrecy…

The police boss further cautioned the officers on the professional use of social media and the need to ensure strict compliance with the duty of reserve and professional secrecy. 

“I urge you to demonstrate professionalism, discipline, commitment to public service, and scrupulous respect for ethics, the only guarantees of success in your respective careers,” Mbarga Nguele stated. 

The national security boss highlighted that most laureates have higher academic certificates than those required for their ranks. This, he said, is a plus to the police force, given that the service is welcoming civil servants with an appreciable level of education to accomplish the missions assigned to it. 

Officers pledge to serve professionally 

One of the officers, Etuge Joshua Nzele, said he is ready to serve the State of Cameroon without reserve. He promised to become a good police officer and to wholeheartedly serve the population by ensuring their safety and their properties.

On his part, Ngene Landry Kolle, said graduating as a police officer is a dream come true. He said his vision is to serve the country by protecting the population and safeguarding their properties.

The laureates are of two orders with Police Inspectors and Constables, from direct entrance examinations conducted in 2022 and 2023. They underwent two years and 12 months training, respectively.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3273 of Monday October 28, 2024