National police commissioner Bheki Cele will not accept tattooed men and women in the ranks as he implements his new vision for the South African Police Service.

In an exclusive interview with The Times, Cele said it was important that people who would give the police "the right image" be recruited.

Cele last year promised to change the police's management structure within a year of his appointment as head of the police.

In the past few months, a number of provincial police commissioners have been reassigned.

He has appointed new managers to his office, a move some have labelled a purge.

Defending the changes, Cele said they were necessary to enable him to carry out the mandate given him by the government.

"The changes I have made are not meant to benefit me. They are not part of a political agenda either, as some people have suggested.

"The decision to rotate managers across geographical and operational areas is to ensure the transference of skills and expertise within the organisation."

Cele said the changes would continue in accordance with the needs of the police service.

He said police operations introduced for the 2010 soccer World Cup had been retained.

He said the tournament had taught the police many lessons and methods of operation based on those lessons were already in use.

He said requests from the UK and Brazil for assistance with their security preparations for the 2012 Olympics and the 2014 soccer World Cup respectively were testimony to the standard of the policing for the tournament in South Africa.

"The [police are] often robbed of the glory due to them for such achievements as the successful hosting of events such as the World Cup.

"The prevailing perception is that these achievements are solely due to the diligence and competence of the organising committees," he said.

On police recruitment, Cele said a stringent approach would be followed.

"Not everyone will be accepted. We want individuals who will commit themselves to the demands of the job.

"I will not accept people with tattoos all over their body - the image of the force counts.

"Joining the police service must be about commitment," Cele said, adding that communities would be involved in the screening of recruits.

"Once you have applied you will be taken by our recruitment committee to your community for approval.

"We can't have a member joining us while his community says the opposite.

"We need people who enjoy the respect of their community. This approach, I believe, will help us to win the confidence of the community," Cele said.

In the new year, Cele's office will publish a directory of all senior police managers' telephone numbers.

The release of the directory is part of the police's attempts to be open and accountable to communities it serves.

"Through this directory, communities will be able to contact their local station managers and other senior officers 24/7," Cele said.

Cele promised changes in the allocation of resources to police stations and in the working conditions of officers.

He said it was "shocking and embarrassing" that about 12 police stations in Eastern Cape had no toilets and others had no electricity supply.