Police officers must not allow criminals to kill them, National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele said on Monday.

"No police officer should be killed while having a gun at hand," Cele said at a passing out parade of 1 697 trainee officers in Pretoria.

He said the trainees were produced to protect South Africans and not for the grave.

"You should not be trigger happy but you must be decisive to protect law abiding citizens and your life, use the tool you have to protect yourself."

He said the police should not allow criminals to prevail over them.

"You must deal with criminals".

Cele warned the trainee officers that they should not be corrupt because once they collude with criminals, they would be arrested and their uniforms changed from blue to orange.

Cele has come under fire since he was appointed head of the police in July for his repeated calls for the police to protect themselves by using deadly force.