On Sunday 19 April 2009, I arrived at Bramshill. This was my first time in the United Kingdom, having only known Heathrow Airport in transit through the UK.

I was in the company of ACP Precious Tlhabiwa, with whom I had been nominated by our Chief, the Commissioner of the Botswana Police Service, to attend the International Strategic Leadership Programme 2009.

I must admit that I was quite excited at being nominated to attend this prestigious programme, in the world renowned NPIA Bramshill College. Would I be up to the challenge? Was my Chief's belief in me misplaced? Some of my colleagues in the Botswana Police Service who have attended programmes at Bramshill, whom I managed to speak to before my departure, had nothing but praise for the staff, facilities and particularly, the "Bramshill" experience.

Having heard quite a lot as said, my expectations of Bramshill were quite high. I have not been disappointed. I have been exposed to extensive leadership theory, for the most part not by theorists, but by practitioners who have walked and talked leadership, transformational change and dealing with diversity, to name but a few.

In the six weeks I have been here, the highlight of my stay has been the visit to Cleveland Police, where I was exposed to the practical aspects of transformational change; a Chief Constable with vision and foresight to transform a force that was not performing well to one that is held up as a model of policing excellence. Interacting with such fine people, thanks to Bramshill, has left a lasting impression in my mind. I will surely seek to emulate when I get back to Police Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana.

I am now beginning to appreciate the Bramshill experience.

Bramshill, thanks a million.

Boikhutso Dube
Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police
Director - Departmental Management Services
Botswana Police Service