Making police force efficient
Friday, 14 May 2010
Police reforms were much talked-about during the days of the last caretaker government. It was then suggested that such reforms, had the same been carried out during the tenure of the caretaker, would not have burdened the elected government by a traditionally inefficient, under-motivated and corruption-riddled police force. However, the hopes that were raised then in this sphere, were destroyed by ultimately doing nothing towards completing police reforms. However, some changes brought about in the early days of the tenure of the caretakers lent some sort of an improvement in a piecemeal fashion in the functioning of the police force. But things are looking very different now. The police administration has now reverted, as the reports in the media do bear out, swiftly to their old disposition of lack of integrity, ineffectiveness against crime and concentrating their energies mainly in doing the bidding of their political masters.
The functionaries of the incumbent government have, however, been promising all sorts of things about quickly improving law and order conditions by revamping the police force. But hardly any actual step appears to have been taken so far in this direction. The transition to an elected government should have otherwise been accompanied by clear signals to the police that they must henceforth be guided by nothing else but professionalism in the discharge of their duties. This has not come true. Rather, media reports suggest a different situation: the real experience of policemen since the governmental change has been that they risked their jobs, postings and other benefits if they would be guided by purely professional and neutral instincts in doing their work. Reportedly, they have to take very seriously into consideration the political identity of the offenders. The policemen are reportedly, thus, considered to have generally lost their inspiration for doing their work with flair and impartiality.
It is imperative for the government to address these issues sooner than later for making the police a force to be trusted and relied on, by people. Indeed, the government's image and credibility are strongly tied up with the performance of the police.
Hemayetuddin Ahmed
Uttara, Dhaka.
The functionaries of the incumbent government have, however, been promising all sorts of things about quickly improving law and order conditions by revamping the police force. But hardly any actual step appears to have been taken so far in this direction. The transition to an elected government should have otherwise been accompanied by clear signals to the police that they must henceforth be guided by nothing else but professionalism in the discharge of their duties. This has not come true. Rather, media reports suggest a different situation: the real experience of policemen since the governmental change has been that they risked their jobs, postings and other benefits if they would be guided by purely professional and neutral instincts in doing their work. Reportedly, they have to take very seriously into consideration the political identity of the offenders. The policemen are reportedly, thus, considered to have generally lost their inspiration for doing their work with flair and impartiality.
It is imperative for the government to address these issues sooner than later for making the police a force to be trusted and relied on, by people. Indeed, the government's image and credibility are strongly tied up with the performance of the police.
Hemayetuddin Ahmed
Uttara, Dhaka.