How to Apply for SAPS Training College in South Africa
To become a police officer in South Africa, you will have to go to the South African Police Service (SAPS) training college. Application to SAPS training college requires that you are above 18 years old, complete a form and undergo 24 months of training which is intended to help you become a good police officer.
The SAPS training college was launched on the 2nd of January 1990 and was called the South African Police Service Academy, Paarl. However, on the 2nd of July 1996, the name was changed to South African Police Service Training College, Paarl. The aim of this training college is to supply prospective police officers with the relevant skills and knowledge required to fight local crime and become police officers worthy of the badge.
Becoming a police officer in South Africa takes at least two years. The first step towards reaching that goal is to ensure that you are qualified to become a police officer. Before filling out the form and applying as a candidate, you should do a thorough self-check on yourself to ensure you meet all necessary requirements. However, during the training period, you will go through various assessments to ensure you are fit.
The requirements for SAPS Training College include the following:
Here is a list of the documents you should keep handy when applying to the SAPS training college.
If you have all the required documents and other requirements, you can then proceed to start the application. Please note that you can only download the form online, after which you have to fill it out and submit it offline or via post.
Here is how to apply for SAPS training college:
You can submit the form by hand or by using the post office:
Being sincere while filling out the application form is of uttermost importance because fighting crime as a police officer requires sincerity.
If your application pulls through, you will then have to undergo 24 months of training. This is called Basic Police Development Learning Programme (BPDLP). Thankfully, while undergoing this training process, you will receive monthly remunerations, as well as other benefits.
This training process can be divided into three stages. These stages have different duration and remuneration as well. Here are the three stages of BPDLP and what you should know about them.
As the name implies, it is the first phase or stage of training at the SAPS training college. It has a duration of ten months. During this time, recruits will be taught the relevant skills and knowledge required to become police officers. It also requires that you go through some level of practical training.
Also, during this time, recruits are not eligible for the pension funds, however, they get a monthly remuneration of R3,175 and other benefits like free food and accommodation. Recruits also have access to a POLMED medical aid, however, it’s just the lower membership plan. After 10 months of training, you can now move on to the next phase if you are successful.
This phase has more to do with practicals. Recruits will be exposed to work experience and have first-hand experience of what it is like to be a police officer in a station. This phase takes a period of 12 months.
In this phase, recruits will be responsible for their meals but unlike in the first phase, they get POLMED medical aid which can either be a lower or higher membership plan. Recruits who have made it to this phase will also receive a monthly remuneration of R7,275.
This is the last stage of BPDLP and it takes just two months to complete. In this phase, recruits will spend their time on integrated assessments. It comes with the same benefits and remuneration as phase two. However, on completion of this phase which marks the end of the 24 months training period, these recruits will become police officers and will now be eligible for all the benefits, as well as responsibilities that a police officer of their rank should get.
We hope this article has been able to provide all the relevant information you need to successfully apply to the SAPS training college.
