Zimbabwean Police on Patrol. Image credit byo24.com

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: The Constitution of Zimbabwe: Police Service

Police Service and its functions

  • The Police Force consists of the following:
    1. A regular force
    2. Police constabulary
    3. Ancillary members
  • There is a Police Service which is responsible for:
    1. Detecting, investigating and preventing crime
    2. Preserving the internal security of Zimbabwe
    3. Protecting and securing the lives and property of the people maintaining law and order; and upholding the Constitution and enforcing the law without fear or favour.
  • The Police Service must be non-partisan, national in character, patriotic, professional and subordinate to the civilian authority

Commissioner-General of Police

  • The Police Service is under the command of a Commissioner-General of Police appointed by the President after consultation with the Minister responsible for the police
  • The Commissioner-General of Police is appointed for a five-year term which may be renewed once
  • The Commissioner is responsible for:
    1. The command and control of the Police Force
    2. Appointing fit and proper persons to be members
    3. Promoting, suspending, reducing in rank or discharging any member other than an officer

Establishment and composition of Police Service Commission

  • There is a Police Service Commission consisting of a chairperson, who must be the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, and a minimum of two and a maximum of six other members appointed by the President
  • Members of the Police Service Commission must be chosen for their knowledge of or experience in the maintenance of law and order, administration, or their professional qualifications or their general suitability for appointment, and at least half of them must be persons who are not or have not been members of the Police Service, and at least one of them must have held a senior rank in the Police Service for one or more periods amounting to at least five years.

Functions of Police Service Commission

  • The Police Service Commission has the following functions:
    1. To appoint qualified and competent persons to hold posts or ranks in the Police Service
    2. To fix and regulate conditions of service, including salaries, allowances and other benefits, of members of the Police Service
    3. To ensure the general well-being and good administration of the Police
    4. To ensure that members of the Police Service comply with the Code of Conduct of the Police Force
    5. To foster harmony and understanding between the Police Service and civilians
    6. To advise the President and the Minister on any matter relating to the Police Service

To access more topics go to the History Notes page.