The South Sudan Inspector General of Police, Gen. Atem Marol Biar, has warned the police against corruption and favoring criminals based on relations and ethnicity.
The police boss issued the warning when he presided over the pass out of 1,400 officers at the Torit Freedom Square. The officers had been undergoing training since June last year.
Gen. Biar said some police officers engaged in corruption and tampered with crime investigations, warning that such individuals would be immediately replaced.
“I saw from the paper here 14 bachelor’s degree graduands. The 14 are immediately promoted to warrant officers and the 22 diploma diploma holders are promoted to technical sergeant majors, and if there is a course, I will consider them,” Gen. Biar said.
“No one should sell police uniform, no one should be involved in civilian activities, no police should be involved in stealing,” he warned.
“As the 8th batch, you are now going to take over empty offices, especially in the police stations. We found in Juba some officers who have been in the station since the Sudan time and I ordered their immediate replacement with new ones,” he went on.
The ceremony was also attended by the deputy minister of Interior, David Marial Gumke, and the assistant IGP for Human Resource Development, Lt Gen Jackson and other police generals, including the spokesman, Gen Daniel Justine.
Gumke said the suffering of the people in South Sudan comes not only from the government and the rebels, but also from the police for failing to ensure security to allow farmers to produce food.
The minister promised vehicles and other logistics for effective police operations.
“My people, we are in a difficult situation, but this does not only come from government. It also comes from us the police, or the organized forces who do not do their work properly. We now have many criminals and civilians cannot cultivate and there will be no food as we wait for the same from Uganda or Kenya,” Gumke said.
He added: “This is the beginning of a transformation of the police and all the organized forces. If you wear a military uniform and you have a gun and you are not trained, it means you don’t know the law of the government or of police or the military.”
The Police Commissioner, Gen James Monday Enoka, said the graduated forces were beneficiaries of a refresher training under the theme; “Sustainable peace and security through local initiatives”.
“What we are doing is the initiative of the South Sudanese alone and our own leaders and us are focusing on sustainable peace. For peace to last, it has to be our own initiative,” said Gen Enoka.
The Governor of Eastern Equatoria, Louis Lobong Lojore, expressed gratitude for the number of graduates in the police batch number 8, saying it was the first time ever in South Sudan.
“I think this is the first time I am seeing educated people joining the police. Let us hope this is the beginning, as all over the world, there are no uneducated police because most police work today requires knowledge,” said the Governor.
“You have acquired the skills and knowledge that will help you provide service to people in your country. I do not want to repeat what you were trained, it has to be seen in the work that you are doing. From today onwards, like the IGP ordered, I want people of Eastern Equatoria State to sleep peacefully,” he added.