The Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) is the national police force of the
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number o ...
n
Kingdom of Lesotho.
History
The police service was established in 1872, with an initial strength of 110 men. It adopted military discipline and, from 1878,
military rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a ...
structure based on the
British army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. In the 1950s the force moved towards a civilian police operation, and in 1958 replaced its military rank structure with conventional civilian police ranks.
Originally known as the Basutoland Mounted Police, the force later changed its name to Lesotho Police, then Lesotho Mounted Police (1966), and Royal Lesotho Mounted Force (1986). Today, in common with many police forces, it has adopted the style "police service" in its current formal name of Lesotho Mounted Police Service.
Ranks
Training
The national Police Training College (P.T.C) opened in 1946. All recruits are enrolled as
Cadets and complete a thirteen-month training course. Recruits must be aged between 18 and 30, and pass an initial entrance examination. Recruits are accepted from all parts of Lesotho society, but must be registered as Lesotho citizens. Although police positions were originally restricted to men only, the force has admitted women officers since 1970.
See also
*
Lesotho Defence Force
The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution of Lesoth ...
References
Law enforcement in Lesotho
Crime in Lesotho
1998 establishments in Lesotho
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