One-hundred-and-eight members of National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) have passed the entry exams to attend a nine-month sergeant course offered at Dili’s Police Academy.
The group also includes six nationals from Guinea Bissau and Saint Tome Principe from the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP).
PNTL Second General Commander of PNTL Commissioner Faustino da Costa said altogether 114 participants will attend the course at the Police Academy Training Center.
“They will learn about working with professionalism and about what makes good leadership,” the Commissioner said recently.
Besides improving their level of understanding of leadership, he said they will also learn about general duties related to police work.
Of the 108 candidates, 14 women also passed the test and will undertake the training.
In 2016, the command of PNTL and the government allowed nations belonging to the CPLP to apply for the training course. The PNTL is currently leading the CPLP Police, CPLP Ministry of Interior and CPLP Ministry of Administration.
Meanwhile, candidate Fatima Maria Martins Marques said she felt proud to be one of the 14 women who passed the exams to attend the sergeant training course.
She said the entry exams were tough, but she undertook them one at a time and that it was a transparent process.
“We undertook a written test, a physical test and I am proud to have passed. I look forward to attending the course and will do my best become an even better police officer,” she said.
