In an effort to make Cape Town safer, its metro police will have fitness training at least once a day, the city's metro policedepartment said on Tuesday.

"The metro police are committed to making the city of Cape Town a safer city," metro police deputy chief Yolanda Faro said in launching the "fitness and wellness programme" at the civic centre.

The programme aimed to promote a culture of physical fitness and health in the metro police, she said. "... This will better enable us to look after the mother city, her residents and visitors."

The four-week pilot fitness and wellness programme began on Monday.

"All constables and sergeants on duty, approximately 600 officers in total, are required to participate in one exercise session per day as part of their normal working day."

The programme runs until August 14. It will be held four times a day, during off-peak periods, from Mondays to Thursdays.

On-duty metro police officers will be divided into two groups to train during these times with two morning and two evening sessions.

The 16 instructors were fully qualified to take officers through their exercise regime, which would include standard battery tests, combat skills training, endurance and cardiovascular training, and team exercises including soccer and netball.

"We are very proud to be the first city in South Africa to launch an exercise programme for our [metro] police service," Faro said.

"If this pilot programme is as successful as we anticipate it will be, the programme will be extended to include other departments and will run on an annual basis."

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