Twenty-two-year-old Imshaa Abdul Latheef has made history by becoming the first female police recruit to be named Best All-Round Cadet of the 41st Initial Police Training Course, marking a major milestone in the 100-year history of the Maldives Police Service.

This is the first time a female cadet officer has received the Best All-Round award since the initial police training programme began. All previous courses had seen male cadets claim the top honour. Among 185 cadets, Imshaa also received the Commissioner’s Excellence Award and was selected as the Best Cadet from her squad.

Imshaa hails from Fiyooree Island and is described as a bright student and an active athlete. During her school years, she represented her school at the Inter-School Athletics Championships, an experience she says helped instil the discipline, endurance, and resilience required to excel during police training.

Speaking to local media after receiving the award, Imshaa said she never expected to be named Best All-Round Cadet, but emphasised that she worked hard throughout the course. She added that her greatest pride was becoming someone her mother could be proud of.

A total of 185 cadet police officers officially joined the Maldives Police Service after successfully completing the initial training programme. The passing-out parade, held on Monday night, marked the conclusion of the 41st batch of the Initial Police Training Course.

Imshaa’s achievement is being widely recognised as a significant step forward for women in law enforcement, setting a new precedent after more than four decades of initial police training courses in the Maldives.