Minister of Education Dr Ismail Shafeeu has called on all police officers of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) to strive to earn the respect and trust of the citizens. His remarks were made during the closing ceremony of the 37th Police Initial Training Course of the MPS, held at the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement in Addu City.
As the guest of honour at the ceremony, Minister Shafeeu underscored the critical role of police officers stationed across more than 140 islands across the country, always prepared to assist the community in any situation. He commended the officers for their dedication and service, urging them to persist in their commendable efforts.
Also present at the event were Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan and Amit Garg, Director of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA).
In his address, Minister Shafeeu underscored President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s vision of transforming the country into a modern, developed, and secure nation where citizens lead harmonious lives. Police officers play a vital role in realising this vision by combating crime and providing assistance to citizens whenever required, he noted.
“Fighting crime. Assisting citizens whenever there is a need. With God’s will, we can achieve those aims through protecting youth and community from crime. So I urge you to make the best use of the knowledge acquired during the police training,” Minister Shafeeu stated.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that the police service is not confined to a building or centre. Instead, police officers must strive to earn the respect and trust of the citizens through their work both within their institution and in the community, he said.
Minister Shafeeu further underscored the necessity of utmost justice and fairness in all matters concerning the public, cautioning that the actions of a single police officer can damage the reputation and trust of the entire police institution. He concluded by urging all graduates of the training programme to adhere to the strictest codes of conduct to maintain the trust and respect of the public.