Police recruitment drive

Zimbabwe has increased the intake of police cadets, enlarged the size of the paramilitary wing, the Support Unit, and started to swear in members of a reserve unit with ruling party links, the 'Zimbabwe Independent' said on Friday. There are also reports of the purchase of armoured water cannon vehicles in what the weekly said were preparations by an embattled government to deal with civil unrest. Units of the police special constabulary started training this week ahead of integration into the regular force. The special constabulary is made up of volunteers, ZANU-PF youths and war veterans, the newspaper said. It quoted sources at the police school in Harare as saying that special constabulary members under the age of 45 would be integrated into the regular force and would be sworn in at the rank of constable. Most of the new recruits have no qualifications. Regular recruits considered for police training are expected to have at least a full 'O' Level certificate. The ZRP has also doubled the number of trainees to 2,000 per year. At least a quarter of the new trainees have been forced to join the Support Unit, which includes the riot squad which has been prominent in recent assaults on township residents. Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed the increase in the number of trainees being recruited but said this was normal to replace "wastages" in the force.