Botswana Police Services – Everything You Need to Know
Colonial period
The service originated with the formation of the Bechuanaland Mounted Police on 1 July 1884. On August 4, 1885, the Bechuanaland Border Police were established. In October 1889, the British South Africa Company’s Police was founded by royal license, absorbing a portion of the BBP. Throughout the 1890s, the numerous police forces in the region underwent a series of name changes, until the BSAP No.1 (Bechuanaland) Division ceased to exist and was replaced by the Bechuanaland Protectorate Police. This force mostly recruited black constables from Basutoland (now Lesotho), Rhodesia (modern Zimbabwe), and Zambia, rather than Bechuanaland indigenous.
Post-Independence: Two Botswanan mounted police policemen wearing khaki uniforms from the 1970s.
Following Botswana’s independence in 1965, the Botswana Police Force was established, and in 1971, the first female police constables were hired. In 1977, in response to mounting threats to Botswana’s security and in reversal of previous policy, the Botswana Defence Force was established. The Botswana police force absorbed the Botswana municipal police to become the Botswana Police Service in 2009. The current Botswana police force consists of 8500 armed policemen, including 2000 female officers [citation required]. The Botswana Police Service has a police academy in the hamlet of Otse.
Botswana Police Services Areas of Responsibility
MANDATE
To protect life and property, prevent and detect crime, repress internal disturbances, maintain security and public tranquility, apprehend offenders, bring offenders to justice, duly enforce all written laws with which it is directly charged and generally maintain peace. Police Act, Cap 21:01 at Section 6 (1)
VISION
A law enforcement Agency of Repute
MISSION
To provide a professional policing Service, in partnership with the Community
VALUES
Botho
Excellence
Integrity
Teamwork
- Operations
- Crime Investigations
- Support Services
Operations
- South Central Division
- Southern Division
- North Central Division
- Northern Division
- North West Division
- Operations Branch
- Anti-Stock Theft Branch
- Traffic Branch
Crime Investigations
- Forensic Science Services (FSS)
- Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
- Internal Affairs Branch
- Crime Intelligence Branch (CRIB)
- Cyber Forensics Branch
- International Relations Branch
Support Services
- Strategy Development and Performance Monitoring (SD&PM)
- Special Support Group (SSG)
- Transport and Telecommunications Branch (TTB)
- Departmental Management Services (DMS)
- Air Support Branch
- Development, Finance and Procurement (DFP)
- Botswana Police College
- International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA)
Botswana Police Ranks
- Commissioner of Police,
- Deputy Commissioner of Police,
- Senior Assistant Commissioner,
- Assistant Commissioner,
- Senior Superintendent,
- Superintendent,
- Assistant Superintendent,
- Inspector,
- Sub-Inspector,
- Sergeant,
- Constable,
- Special Constable
Botswana Police Branches and Divisions
The BPS is divided into various branches and the most notable are:
- Special Support Group (SSG)
- Air Support Branch (ASB)
- Transport and Telecommunications Branch (TTB)
- Anti-Stock Theft Unit
- Training Branch
- Criminal Investigation Department (CID)
The SSG is the paramilitary branch of the BPS and it is run along military lines. Police officers in this branch are called operatives and they undergo 3 months military training upon completion of the mandatory 12 months Police training. The branch is divided into various units/companies:
- SWAT Unit
- Anti Poaching Unit (APU)
- Band Wing Unit (BND)
- Training Wing Unit (TRG)
- Specialized Unit (SPU)
- Command and Logistics Unit
Botswana : Ministry Contact Details
Postal Address
Public Relations Officer
P/Bag 0012, Gaborone
Physical Address
CBD, Gaborone
Zambezi Towers Floor 3
Tel : +267 399 3815 / 19 / 20/ 21 / 74 / 78
Fax : +267 397 2404
Email : police@gov.bw
Interesting Facts about Botswana’s Police
If a Botswana police officer stops you for a traffic offense and you offer a bribe, you will be detained without question.
Botswana boasts the greatest police force in Africa and takes corruption severely regardless of the level of those implicated.
Is Botswana a member of Interpol?
How many police are there in Botswana?
With a strength of around 9,500 officers, it is headed by a Commissioner who is assisted by three Deputy Commissioners in charge of Operations, Support and Criminal Investigations respectively.
