Police reservists up and running again; join now!
The SAPS is calling on all willing citizens to visit their nearest police stations and apply to become police reservists.
Those who are interested in volunteering their time to assist the police are welcome to do so at any of the stations falling within the Boksburg boundaries (Boksburg SAPS, Boksburg North SAPS, Reiger Park SAPS, Dawn Park SAPS).
The police encourage people who live in the communities they serve to assume the role of supporting the police and to get actively involved since they have a better understanding of their communities than anyone else.
The police management, however, remind would-be police reservists that the reservist system was never introduced as a stepping stone to securing permanent employment as a police officer.
Contrary to popular belief, the reservist system is aimed at allowing citizens to volunteer their time to assist the police in fighting crime in their respective communities.
It’s been said many times that many police reservists sign up because they believe they will eventually get a permanent job down the line.
Clearing up this common misconception, the Boksburg police previously told this publication that when reservists sign up, they sign agreements which clearly state that they are volunteering their services to the police and that there are no expectations of employment or remuneration for their services.
According to the police, being a reservist entails undergoing intensive training, which enables the reservist to perform his or her duties, which are similar to those of a permanently employed police officer.
Reservists deal with a range of duties that the police stations have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, including the taking of statements in the community service centre, helping with secretarial duties and working out on the streets.
In 2008, hundreds of police reservists handed over a memorandum of grievances to the Presidency, calling for immediate integration of the then thousands of reservists into the SAPS.
They also called for the remuneration of reservists as well as benefits due to full-time police officers.
In 2009, recruitment of reservists was put on hold.
The moratorium was then lifted in 2015, but since then reservists could not be recruited pending the redrafting of the recruitment policy for SAPS volunteers.
To comply with the basic enlistment requirements to become a police reservist, the applicant must:
* be a South African citizen by birth;
* be medically, mentally and physically fit to perform duties;
* be of good and sound character;
* be in possession of at least a senior certificate (Grade 12) or must have successfully completed a SAQA-accredited NQF level four qualification, of which documentary proof must be provided;
* be able to speak, read and write at least two official languages, of which one must be English;
* allow your fingerprints and a DNA sample to be taken;
* be prepared to undergo the required training;
* be vetted or screened;
* provide traceable proof of residential address;
* not have a criminal record or any criminal or departmental cases pending against him or her (all criminal or departmental cases must be declared).
To find out more about enlistment as a police reservist, residents can visit their nearest police stations. -@FanieFLK
