Policing the Police

The tough stand taken by the National Police Commission against errant police officers who violate the fundamental rights of citizens should be lauded particularly given the recent reports on such acts that has brought a bad name to the Department.

According to our weekend newspaper the Sunday Observer the NPC has decided to summon the DIG of the Western Province to answer for the conduct of one of his charges who had coerced a complainant in a bribery case against him (the officer) to withdraw the complaint.

The complainant was later found shot dead. The NPC is aghast as to why this police officer was not transferred elsewhere while the case was pending and what action had been taken against this officer for threatening the complainant. Today some senior police officers are known to be indulgent towards their charges.

It is also no secret that certain superiors are known to go soft on complaints against their subordinates while in some instances even act in collusion to share in the spoils from illegal activity.

This turning a Nelsonian eye to the shenanigans of junior officers has encouraged callous disregard towards discipline that was once the hallmark of the Police Service. The same report says that the NPC has urged the IGP to take action against an OIC who turned abusive against an attorney-at-law. This is another characteristic of present day policemen who abuse their rank.

This is particularly seen among some traffic policemen who delight in abusing motorists. Such behaviour on the part of Police officers can only invite the contempt of the public.

It is evident that some Officers-in-charge of Police stations act as lords of all they survey in their precincts. Rude behaviour is not uncommon among certain police officers.

IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne who has pledged to clean up the Augean stables should first of all build the fallen image of the Police Department in the eyes of the public. He should ensure the police act as friends of the public and remove those bad eggs.

Time was when Sri Lanka had an exemplary police Department where personnel were picked after careful screening. We still read and come across accounts of the deeds of those legendary men in Khaki not only for acts of bravery and valour but also as gentlemen who brought honour to the service and won public esteem. True, times have changed and the service has to confront new challenges that were not there in those bygone days.

Today the duties of the Police have extended to several fronts and it is no longer confined to maintaining law and order. The decades long terrorist problem has redefined the role of the police with emphasis shifted from tackling local crime to engagement in anti-terror operations.

While the change in the role of the policeman should be appreciated in the present context the main function of the police as the guardians of the law should not be lost sight of.

It is therefore incumbent on the IGP to revert the police to its main function of being keepers of the peace while lending all support to the military in the anti-terrorist drive.

There is also the need for emphasising discipline in the Police Department which had taken a nosedive in recent times as evident from many an episode. There is also a need to rid the service of the bad eggs in order to send a clear message that Policemen cannot act with impunity.

The number of police officers involved in the Sakvithi scam is a clear example of the extent to which the cancer of bribery and corruption had eaten into the Department.

The astronomical sums deposited in the bogus finance company by ordinary policemen is a clear indication of the decay that is manifest in the Police Department.

The IGP who is making a genuine effort to stem the rot should receive the full backing of the authorities in his endeavour to bring the Police Department to its former glory as a public oriented State agency.