The Commissioner of Police Mr Thebeyame Tsimako has called on police officers to remain united, professional and committed to their work every time they serve the nation.

Addressing police officers on his first leg of his tour of police stations to bid officers farewell yesterday (26/06/12) in Mochudi, Mr Tsimako said the police profession is a calling that require dedicated police officers who do not only love their work, but love their nation.

He said serving with love and patriotism will help them to deliver their service satisfactorily and encouraged them to respect their seniors, saying it is through good behaviour and respect that officers can enjoy their work and do it well. He said hard work and good behaviour helped him to become the Commissioner and to earn prestigious police medals such as Botswana Police Medal for Meritorious Service, Distinguished Service Order medal, including the French National Order of Merit recently awarded by the French government.

He said today’s modern policing challenges require police officers who are well behaved, innovative, corruption free and exemplary. He said the nation see police officers as safety and security providers who are honest and committed to their work. He encouraged them to engage in self development to do their work with knowledge and confidence.

Police officers who came from Mochudi, Dibete, Oliphant Drift and Sikwane praised Mr Tsimako for his good leadership that made Botswana Police Service proud. They said the Botswana Police’s professionalism is known and celebrated both locally and internationally because of him.

Mr Thebeyame Tsimako will on the 31st of July, 2012 retire from active police service after serving for 42 years, five years of which he served as the Commissioner.  After attaining the retirement age of 60 years in June 2010, he was employed on 12 Months contract terms which was renewed by another 12 months in 2011.