1 600 police officers promoted

POLICE have promoted 1 624 junior police officers from the rank of Constable up to Assistant Inspector.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba described the promotions as a regular exercise.

“The Police Commissioner General, Godwin Matanga has effected promotions for non-commissioned police officers in terms of the Police Act Chapter 11:10. These promotion procedures are conducted as a regular exercise in the service and are a motivating tool aimed at rewarding officers who are hard working and are based on merit,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the elevated officers have assumed the ranks of Sergeant, Sergeant Major and Assistant Inspectors.

“301 officers have been promoted to Assistant Inspector, while eight were also elevated from Constables straight to Assistant Inspector bringing the total their total to 309. Those promoted to Sergeant Major are 176 and 1 147 being promoted to sergeant,” she said.

The police spokesperson said the promotions are nothing amiss or out of the ordinary, emphasising that the Commissioner General had just exercised his powers of promoting officers, even without them having written examinations, an act in the Police Act.

“The exercise is not unique to the ZRP as all public and private organisations go through the same process. The current exercise started long back in April with various stages being undertaken. The promotions have nothing to do with the pending harmonised elections. In fact the ZRP last conducted the exercise three years ago,” she said.

— @winnie_masara