The Police Senior Command and Staff Course (PSCSC) students started a week-long external study tour in Botswana on Monday, May 15, as part of the one year academic programme at the National Police College (NPC) in Musanze District. Thirty-five law enforcement officers from 10 African countries are part of the 11th PSCSC intake. The Police students are from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Lesotho, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Rwanda. The external study tour is held under the theme: Socio-economic development, good governance and justice as pillars of sustainable peace and security. On the first day of the tour, on Monday, the students visited Botswana Police Service, where they were given insights into various disciplines of security, peace, justice and governance. Presentations focused on the impact of law enforcement agencies in socio-economic development and justice, and how intelligence contributes to the protection of individual rights, prevention of crime and how it sets ground for economic development and justice. They were also explained on how financial intelligence contributes to stabilizing financial system, including fighting money laundering and terrorism financing, among others. Botswana Police Service Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Solomon S. Mantswe, who received the law enforcement students, lauded the existing good bilateral relations between Botswana Police and Rwanda National Police (RNP). The two police institutions signed a cooperation agreement in January this year, to formalized partnership in fighting transnational organized crimes including terrorism related activities, human trafficking, hi-tech and cybercrime as well as exchange of information related to criminal elements. Others areas of partnership include capacity development through training, and sharing of expertise. Ensuring effective policing requires an agile, highly motivated and digitized police service capable and ready to invest more in human capital development, partnership, research, innovation and modern technology, Mantswe reiterated. He urged the students to take advantage of the course, share experiences, and benchmark best practices in law enforcement for their personal and institutional development. The NPC commandant, Commissioner of Police (CP) Rafiki Mujiji, who heads the delegation, thanked the Botswana Police Service for hosting this year's external study tour. He noted that study tours translate theoretical learning into reality and that visiting Botswana was a deliberate decision to benchmark from good practices. The one year course has five main components; a Master’s in peace studies and conflict transformation, operational and routine staff work, strategic leadership and management, international computer driving license, and peace support operations.
