Nine Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Metro Police officials were on Friday, 9 October 2020, awarded with certificates by the State Security Agency and cleared fit to deal with sensitive and utmost important State information that is classified as Secret and Top Secret.
This comes after the officials comprising of Metro Police top management, senior managers and their supporting staff underwent a rigorous screening process to confirm their fitness in their line of duty which involves working closely with the South African Police Service.
The two spheres work tirelessly towards social crime prevention, crime prevention and joint operations, as set out in the Annual Police Plan of the SAPS Act.
As such NMBM Metro Police members are obliged to plan and execute policing operations which are influenced by the Crime Pattern and Threat analysis in the policing precincts.
NMBM Safety and Security Portfolio Head Councillor Queenie Pink said this was the first time the City’s Metro Police department was officially given the certificates by the State Security Agency.
“The process was very intense, not only were the officials screened but it went as far as screening their family members because that department is a very strategic department within our institution. We need people we can trust fully with sensitive State information. When officials are certified to deal with Top Secret information it means even in the most extreme cases including the declaration of war, these officials can be trusted to serve the City,” MMC Pink said.
NMBM Metro Police Head, Commissioner Yolande Faro said: “The NMB Metro Police is extremely proud of the calibre of staff that it has within its ranks and the fact that the Senior Management and Management achieved the Top Secret Clearances are a testimony to the ethical standards that are fostered within the local policing environment of the Municipality.”
“The nature of the clearance were that members who deal with Classified information must be vetted to the level that would be applicable to their working environment and the sensitive information they and their Administrative Support staff are dealing with or are exposed to.”
As part of the process the State Security Agency conducted rigorous background checks and all Top Secret applicants underwent a polygraph test.
The certification is valid for a specified period, vetting will be conducted again to acquire the status again.
NMB Communications
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