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| Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Of bad eggs and police professionalism Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake The new Inspector General of Police had his work cut out for him from day one. He had barely finished speaking of the necessity for policemen to be professional and admitting he knew that not all those in the police service were honest or clean, when some policemen in the Polonnaruwa area decided to demonstrate how professional they were. It was the professionalism of the thug, in which many in the police are well versed, that they demonstrated in attacking and killing the licensee of a liquor shop for refusing to sell them liquor on World Temperance Day.
Any truly professional liquor licensee would have gladly invited the cops into his home, not just his shop, and served them with all the liquor they wanted, with good chasers and bites to match, and giving them some more liquor for the road and home too. That is what the police expects of a professional liquor shop owner, especially when all others have been deprived of spirits be it on a full moon poya day, or any other of the many days on which liquor shops and bars are routinely or suddenly closed. IGPs are in the habit of admitting the existence of a few bad eggs within its ranks. The problem is that in a service including so many thousands, how many amounts to a few. Any number from a thousand to five thousands could amount to a few in a service with such a large cadre. It is well within the scope of such a few bad eggs to do a great deal of harm not only to the police, but more importantly to the whole of society too. Looking at the rate at which police personnel, often of the higher ranks are being apprehended for various offences from undeclared and accumulated wealth to involvement with crime and the underworld, it could be quite understandable if one were to ask the question as to whether the underworld is run by the police or the police is run by the underworld. A mere look at the ever increasing incidence of torture while in police custody, and the methods of torture used, gives our police an opportunity to earn foreign exchange through advanced courses in torture. The types of torture by the police in Sri Lanka described by the Asian Human Rights Commission and in petitions upheld by our own Supreme Court, is sufficient proof that our police is in fact second to none when it comes to professionalism in torture while in custody, even leading to death. It must be heartening to the new IGP, with his new push for professionalism, to know that such professionalism does indeed exist within the police force. The Police as Business IGP Chandra Fernando sees many areas where the police needs better training and also areas where the welfare of the police should be better looked into. None would grudge such good training and the teaching of new skills to the police, and their genuine welfare. But it would also be useful for the IGP to pause awhile to look into other areas such as the Business of the Police today. Although not represented in any Chambers of Commerce, Trade or Industry, a large number of police personnel and their spouses too are today involved in big business, either directly or through trusted proxies. It would be good for the IGP and the National Police Commission to redesign a form for promotions among higher ranks in the police, which has a question about their own involvement in business, that of their spouses and even of other members of their immediate families. At a low level of activity, is the direct or indirect ownership of one or more private buses by police officers a qualification for promotion? Experience shows it is. Similarly, is even part ownership of brothels where women are exploited for the sex trade and providing protection from police raids for such places, a necessary qualification for promotion? Once again the public awareness is that this is in fact the case. It may be those associated with such activity are the few bad eggs the IGP speaks of. In which case, they are very efficient and professional at being bad eggs. They are as large as ostrich eggs, but never seem to get caught in the police net against vice. Would you be surprised Mr. IGP to know that some of the strikes by private bus owners against so-called unjust fines imposed by the police are in fact instigated by those bus owners within the police service themselves, acting against the good work of their own colleagues, who have not yet lost their policing qualities and disillusioned as to join the bad eggs themselves. This can happen if one keeps giving into the police-manipulated demands of private bus owners. However much an IGP may be against political interference with the service, it is the contemporary wisdom that they can do precious little to stop it. I am glad at the new IGP's forthright stand against drunken drivers and those who take our roads to be tracks for Formula One racing. But the challenge the IGP has is to apprehend, the sons and daughters of politicians found to be driving after heavy drinking, and put them through the mill of justice, which many ordinary citizens have to face today. The same goes for the offspring, kith and kin of politicians, whether in power or not, who mistake our roads for speed tracks. Show us how you deal with such arrogance of politics and you will certainly earn more than three hearty cheers. That's where professionalism will begin. |
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The victim was a rare man indeed. One can even attribute his death to
the lack of professionalism on his part, demonstrating the importance of
professionalism the new IGP spoke of. He lost his life for his wholly
unprofessional act in refusing to give special service to those in the
police, in or out of uniform, who believe that they have a special right
to flout the law.
