Police, the citizen and the public’s role

Asoka Wijetilleka

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters, International Police Affairs Human Rights, Inspection and review and Research and Planning

Yesterday (September 3) was Police Day.

Government fixes primary goals for the Police, such as maintenance of law and order, prevention and detection of crime. These are prime requirements which lead to the fulfilment of the vital objectives of the organization.

The goals of the organization remain by and large, clear from the very inception except when it undergoes transformation, conditioned by socio-political growth.

Over a period of several years the Police has gone beyond the scope of its traditional duties and become increasingly conscious of the role it can play in the solution of the major problems of modern society, with particular reference to those raised by the development of crime.

Social mission

It has not remained an instrument of suppression. It has operated in the field of prevention and does not hesitate nowadays to speak of its social mission. In many countries including Sri Lanka, the laws and statutes specify the functions of the Police Force, the obligation for it to be an institution for crime prevention and to function in this capacity. However, it meets with misunderstanding and often veiled opposition when it seeks to assert its preventive and social role.

This attitude which is widespread among the public, must be changed.

On the one hand, the Police is often criticized for its coercive role, while on the other, its attempts at purely preventive and social work are ill received. “That’s not its job” is often heard with allusion to the alleged incompatibility between its coercive functions and its preventive aspirations. It is necessary to try and extricate the Police from this dilemma.

To succeed in this, one must convince the different sections of public opinion, of the reality and importance of its preventive vocation.

Preventive action is essentially designed to prevent people from becoming the victims of offences by warning them about certain types of crimes, which appear to be prevalent, and by explaining the precautions, attitudes and practical measures they should adopt. Crime tears the fabric of social relations and living patterns.

A terrible reality is that until significant inroads are made in controlling crime, the overall quality of life becomes lower than it could be. Crime, like life itself, has become globalized, and responses to law breaking have inevitably extended beyond local national borders.

On the other hand, ‘social control theory’ tells us that people commit crimes when they have not developed adequate attachments, have not internalized the rules of the society and do not care about them.

Efforts to prevent crime must therefore include the teaching of conventional values. In this context, it is also necessary to find ways to strengthen individual bonds to society, commitment to the conventional order and participation in conventional activities.

The best way is to strengthen the institutions that socialize people and continue to regulate their behaviour throughout life - the family, the school and the workplace.

Personal (inner) controls are as important as social (External) controls in keeping people from committing crimes.

Thus, it would be seen that the solution to control crime is not only in the hands of the Police.

It has combination of multiple actors, to put it very simply the public behaviour: their perception; attitudes, more importantly obedience to law, respect for authority, upholding values, investment in custom and traditions they all too play a major role - a role that will certainly be supportive in the maintenance of law and order by Police.

Preventive action is mainly intended to protect the possible victims of offences, especially against theft and common types of fraud.

The aim of this action is to combat carelessness and circumstances liable to encourage theft and fraud and to persuade the public to make a habit of taking certain precautions; to give wide publicity to practical means protecting property.

Police also warn the public of persons against a type of offence which seems to be particularly prevalent at a certain time or in a certain area.

Professional relations

Nevertheless, the conception of its vocation in the field of crime prevention must, at the outset, be shared by all those who are capable of helping the Police either through moral influence in the country of through their professional relations with the Police, such as, Judges, sociologists, criminologists, social workers, probation officers and above all by peace loving citizens. It will be thus seen that peace is not kept by the Police alone. It is kept primarily by an almost unconscious network of voluntary controls and standards among the people themselves.

The Police Force, including those from our elite Special Task Foce, have also laid great stress and contributed immensely to eradicate terrorism from this country.

Many have laid their lives, some permanently disabled and several others injured, sacrificing on behalf of the Motherland to protect and preserve the country’s territorial integrity.

Police in this sense has gone beyond their traditional and prime duties of preservation of Law and Order to assist the Armued Forces, playing a key role, to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

In our country the entire social structure is changing daily. With this change, new tensions and conflicts have appeared which threaten the internal security of the country.

Detection of criminals

Greater responsibility has been trust upon the Police by these ever-changing times. The maintenance of internal security is one of the greatest challenges that confront the policemen today.

It must be admitted that lawlessness is a problem of increasing dimensions and intensity in most of the countries. The solution to the problem lies not only in prevention but also in detection of criminals.

Crime has been analyzed in the last century from every aspect; biological, theological, sociological, psychological and economical.

Evolution theory has taught us that we evolved from an animal state where killing and being killed was part of nature’s design.

Millions of years have passed and we have shed more of our instinct. Our minds are, however, still preoccupied with the most predatory instinct and society is pervaded by overt and covert forms of violence generating a general climate of irrationality.

The solution to this is to have only one urge and that should always be allowed to exist; the urge to live in peace. In this context not only the Police but the people too have a vital role to play.

Modern technology notwithstanding the personal involvement of crime victims and witnesses continues to be the cornerstone of successful criminal investigation and prosecution.

Information or direct testimony from citizens is nearly always vital to solving crimes and prosecuting offenders. It would therefore be seen that the criminal justice system cannot function properly without the support of the community it serves.

Criminal justice

It is no doubt that all crimes committed are not reported to the Police. There exists a deteriorating partnership between the community and criminal justice.

Hence changing public attitudes is vial but is a long and an arduous task.

This is the reason for the refusal to report crimes. Often fear or destruct of public officials, personal inconvenience and fear of reprisal or harassment may make a victim or a witness reluctant to become involved.

Reduction of crime through community involvement, reduction of fear of crime, solicitation of information from the public and involvement of community in Police functions are some of the key factors that are essential prerequisites for better policing.Under the able support and guidance of Secretary Defence, Police have been able to revive and revitalize the community-policing concept.

Today we have established community based 42,925 Vigilant Committees Islandwide, including in the North and East with a view to seeking Public support in Police duties.

Nevertheless these needs are required to be further strengthened, not only by mere participation of public as a supportive body but also getting them out of their self-centredness and complacency and improving through them attitudes towards obedience to law by others.

Today our Police Force has expanded than ever before. We have a work force of 81,950 personnel with 417 Police Stations Islandwide.

From 2006 upto now we have had a steady recruitment of 19,748 personnel from many parts of the country, including those from the East. The demand to be ‘partners’ in the Law Enforcement has been very encouraging.

The recruitment has been not by mere publicity campaigns but through sheer interest and the willingness displayed by youth to join the Police, which gives a lucid signal that the Law Enforcement is very much sought after as a profession of high esteem.

Financial assistance

The Government has extended, its support than in the past with financial assistance necessary to expand the organizations capabilities making it possible to develop techniques, training of personnel, both local and overseas, infrastructure development and other resources necessary to widen its operational and functional capabilities.

13,838 personnel of different ranks also have been promoted based on time promotions and seniority plus merit promotions from 2006 to date, which has broken the stagnation and frustration of the rank and file in the Police Force.

With all these development and of a proud history of 143 years having steadfastly forged ahead, though policing is no easy chore, yet, without a cooperating public, bringing the law and order situation in the country under control would prove difficult. Hence, it is imperative that the Police be given strong support by the civil society.

Notwithstanding other important dimensions in policing, the Police needs the public in their role as a supportive body.

The public has frequently taken the position of not wanting to get involved and then point the finger of blame at the Police for rising crime.

Individual participation

This is not to say that the Police can simply point the finger of blame back at the public, what it means it that the responsibility of an efficient police force is two-way. It needs public support and participation to deter offenders working against society. It is important to bring to the minds of the public, the uphill and complex nature of the responsibilities and Police are expected to discharge.

Public support, community-wide interest and individual participation, therefore must be enlisted. In other words the information that allows the Police to exert formal control must be supported by the people.

They must be the ones who are the major reporters of crime, witnesses of crime, accusers of wrongdoers and observers of the rules of Law - they are the information sources for Police to act swiftly for the benefit of the community at large.