Police Service Commission to oversee working condi...

Police Service Commission to oversee working conditions of non-commissioned officers

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Zim Now Writer

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has revealed the Police Amendment Bill will establish a Police Service Commission that will have authority to dismiss members on medical condition and promote non-commissioned members.

According to Minister Ziyambi, the Bill will deviate from the principal Act where such powers rest with the Commissioner-General.

“The authority that the Commissioner-General has in terms of Section 20 of the Principal Act to discharge members on medical grounds is transferred to the Police Service Commission.

“This is consistent with the provisions of Section 340(f) of the Constitution, which provides that the power to appoint also includes the power to suspend or remove the person from office.

“Notably, according to the provisions of Section 21 of the principal Act, the Commissioner-General needs the consent of the Minster before discharging non-commissioned members by reason of the abolition of his or her office or organisational restructure. However, the Bill provides that such approval needs to be sought from the PSC,” said the Minister.

The Bill,, he added, also seeks to revoke Section 32 of the principal Act, which stipulates that only commissioned officers can be elected to be retired by the Magistrate Court yet non-commissioned members do not have such a right. Commissioned officers will be conducted by boards of officers because such differential treatment of members of the same organisation is unfair.

“Additionally, it is not only unfair but also has a negative bearing on the discipline of the police services,” Ziyambi added