Commissioner of Police (CP) Bruce Munyambo, Commissioner for Community Policing, presided over the graduation of the 10 Police Marine officers and 17 game rangers from Akagera National Park.

It is the first batch of park rangers trained in maritime to reinforce operations against environmental and other crimes in Akagera National Park.

The course focused on provision of First Aid, water survival and rescue, swimming techniques, engine familiarisation and maintenance, boat assembling and disassembling, seamanship and navigation.

CP Munyambo thanked the trainees for successfully completing the demanding training and urged them to put the acquired skills to effective use.

He embarked on the role of Police marine unit fight and prevent crimes, and to ensure the safety of economic and social activities in and around water bodies.

CP Munyambo reiterated Rwanda National Police’s commitment to build the capacity of the marine force to strengthen its operations.

Police Marine is a Rwanda National Police (RNP) unit assigned with various responsibilities which include; ensuring safety and security of water bodies in Rwanda, and raising public awareness against maritime crimes and to prevent loss of lives resulting largely from unlawful and reckless use of water bodies.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elias Mwesigye, the Commanding Officer for Police Marine Unit, said that this is the initial stage for new officers joining the marine unit.

It was organized by Rwanda National Police in partnership with Rwanda Development Board (RDB).

ACP Mwesigye said that equipping maritime skills to Akagera game rangers is because the national park has inland lakes that require rangers to have basic skills to respond where necessary.

The Chief Park Warden of Volcanoes National Park, Prosper Uwingeri, who represented RDB, commended the existing partnership between the two institutions to train the recruited park rangers and other related training programmes.