South Africans will soon be making crime statements to paralegals and legal professionals when they enter one of the country's 1116 police stations, police commissioner Bheki Cele said on Tuesday.

"The next recruitment lot will be legals and paralegals to take statements... so that police can be in the field and to ensure that these statements stand in court," Cele told the National Press Club in Pretoria.

A process of "professionalising" the police force was being phased in. The men in blue would be recruiting science graduates into their ranks to run forensic labs and machines.

"We need key aids (charted accountants), we need IT gurus... we are phasing in that kind of quality," the commissioner said.

This was not a restructuring of the police service, but rather an attempt to bring in more professional and better trained personnel.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said this formed part of efforts to improve the police's performance.

Mthethwa said certain units previously disbanded may be reintroduced.

"The closure of these units had led to significant debate regarding the need for certain types of crime to be addressed by people with specialised knowledge and experience."

This could only be acquired through "direct engagement" in these areas.

"The ministry is currently considering the reintroduction of some of these specialised units, in particular the child protection unit and sexual offences unit.

"[W]e must strengthen measures aimed at fighting the spectre of violence against women and children."

A new head had been appointed to lead police watchdog, the Independent Complaints Directorate. Mthethwa said the ministry was in the process of finalising legislation to improve the directorate's performance.

A new secretary of police had also been appointed. The secretariat of police had been enhanced and restructured to provide better civilian and ministerial oversight of the police, Mthethwa said.

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