As police officers are expected to be physically fit while carrying out their duties police in the Limpopo Province, several officers participated in a road race near Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane last Friday, in order to maintain their physical fitness standards.

Provincial Commissioner Calvin Sengani said when the Minister of Safety and Security, Charles Ngcakula, addressed them in 2003, he emphasized that for police officers to remain fit, they should always run around.

Sengani said that, since then, he had launched Project Run Around in the province, which is usually held twice a year, in winter and summer. "Policemen have to be fit all the time. I have been in law enforcement for the past 32 years, and I strongly believe that it was the old police that used maximum force to arrest criminals," he said. The provincial commissioner argued that, since the dawn of democracy, the police service requires police officers to run and catch criminals through using minimum force, which includes running, tripping and arresting.

Sengani, who agreed that when police officers are overweight, they are unable to carry out their duties effectively, urged police officers to strongly participate in the Run Around marathon project in order to keep themselves healthy and for them to be able to run a reasonable distance while chasing criminals.

The provincial event organiser, Capt NC Sikhau, said most police officers in the province are losing weight as a result of the Run Around Project. Sikhau said the race was a preparation for the national championships to be held in the Vhembe district later this year.

During the project, sponsored by Bolivia Lodge, police officers participated in a 5,1 and 21km race. Provincial Commissioner Calvin Sengani finished second in the 21km grand masters category.

The overall winners and those who finished in second and third positions in all the categories received trophies, certificates, gold, bronze and silver medals.

The Thohoyandou SAPS won themselves a huge trophy as the overall winner in the station cluster category.

The marketing manager of Bolivia Lodge, Ms Mpho Rammabi, said that they don´t just receive and sit back. "We are partners with the Limpopo SAPS and we are prospering because of the support that we are getting from the people who are protected by the SAPS."