His study was titled: Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Police Performance in the Durban Metropolitan Police in eThekwini, KZN. Picture: Pexels
Colonel Phumelela Mthethwa from Durban Metropolitan Police recently graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) with a Master’s of Commerce in Management.
Mthethwa, who is originally from Umlazi, conducted research indicating that good supervision plays an important role in improving the effectiveness of law enforcement agents.
His study was titled: Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Police Performance in the Durban Metropolitan Police in eThekwini, KZN.
“I was motivated by the desire to identify the internal factors that impede Durban Metropolitan Police from functioning optimally and effectively in order to suggest solutions and strategies that will help fight crime in our city,” said Mthethwa.
The associate professor and pro vice-chancellor for Student Services at UKZN, Professor Msizi Mkhize, who oversaw Mthethwa’s research, emphasised another important finding: professional development opportunities for police personnel had a significant impact on performance.
“This implies that increasing professional development opportunities for police officers could enhance their performance,” Mkhize said.
Mthethwa further stated he was driven to pursue Master’s studies in order to increase his abilities and competencies in the policing sector, countering the notion that law enforcement employs individuals with minimal education.
“What keeps me going is the hope of finding solutions to the crime-related problems confronting our country.”
Mthethwa intends to use his findings to improve supervisory tactics in law enforcement. He expects that his qualification will allow him to develop in his career, and he is also considering starting his own firm.
“This qualification is a perfect fit for both interests in that it broadens my management acumen while introducing me to the world of commerce,” he said.
IOL