Post Operation Clean Heart scenario: Time for reform

Institution bashing which wittingly or unwittingly has become the favourite pass time of some self-serving individuals will definitely not augur well for the nation. We would do well to remember that despite the mistrust and misgivings, the police, inter-alia, continues to be the principal investigating agency for the state as incorporated in the statute book. It should only be proper and wise to dispassionately find out the causes of under performance and come up with remedies.

There is a premonition that when the unhooked purveyors of violence reappear following the termination of Operation Clean Heart the usual establishment, more specifically the police organization will not be able to satisfactorily contain and control the law and order situation. While that fear is not absolutely without foundation, the time has probably come to take a long hard look at the objective conditions with a view to ensuring a peaceful society.

There is no doubt that the foremost prerequisite for a bearable law and order situation is the political will. There should not be much despondency on this count because the chief executive, the Prime Minister has demonstrated her firm resolve abundantly. Since safety of the people is the highest law no time is premature to commence a campaign in furtherance of that objective. As the buck stops at the Prime Minister's place the necessity and timing of the present operation need not be questioned. The skeptics may wait for the precipice but the nation cannot. So what should the leaders, in whom the nation has reposed its trust, do to contain and control the situation. They may like to ponder over the following which, however, are not the exclusive and only remedial measures.

a) Since incidents causing concern have occurred in mostly urban growth centres attracting large scale publicity and possibly discouraging potential and actual investors, both local and foreign, these areas need to be policed on a priority basis. Extensive preventive measures have to be taken here on a long term basis with active collaboration of representative leaders. In such efforts as mentioned above, persons accused of criminal activities must be denied decisive participation until the courts have cleared them. Prominent leaders in focal positions have to be bold in public interest. Events of not-too-distant past have proved that patrons of criminal activities are not assured of popular support, how even high or mighty they might once have been.

As and when law enforcement functionaries will operate in an atmosphere of public support they can work wonders. Examples in this regard are aplenty -- both at home and abroad. The initiative must come from those in authority. Good deeds will generate good will and the necessary resource support.

b) As one thinks of resource, the element of immediate and prompt relief comes to mind. The response time to distress calls figures prominently in public mind. Despite the built-in difficulties and constraints it is still perhaps possible for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to reach a place of occurrence within twenty minutes on an average basis, if they have, say an additional 50 better motorized transports as of now with concomitant telecommunication support. That, many would perhaps agree, is not a tall order.

c) Information or intelligence by whatever name we call it, would be a vital tool in control and containment. Be it an operation to recover illegal fire arms or to nab saboteurs/criminals including drug traffickers, the pre-eminence of information demands serious consideration. The resources allocated, though registering an increase compared to yesteryears, are not adequate. Better and efficient intelligence will greatly minimize public inconvenience and reduce embarrassment. Fruitful intelligence leading to spectacular results must be a precondition of increased resource allocation.

d) Law and order problems develop rapidly and arise frequently in urban areas owing to the existence of various organized groups such as students, labours, white collar workers, all concentrated in a small area. The hartals are an urban phenomenon. Large floating populations, presence of gullible rural migrants give rise to crimes involving cheating, fraud etc. Large population and heavy densities increase anonymity. The flow of large cash increases the temptation as well as the opportunity for crime. Offences against person always draw excited attention.

Under situations as above, vocal public opinion supported by vigilant and active press can put pressure on police for improved behaviour and performance.The urban areas in Bangladesh are growing rapidly without adequate provisions for police presence thereby leading to greater vulnerability to criminals. Police officers should be associated with development authority and city planning. The element of security consciousness should be an integral part of public and private buildings and facilities planning.

e) The most frequent complaint of the public in regard to crimes is the inability of

police officers to pursue investigations from day to day with a sense of commitment and determination. Apart from the initial visit from the police officer to the scene of crime and his inquiries with some witnesses on the first day of investigation the complainants very rarely observe evidence of continued investigational work. Experience in our situation reveals that an average investigating officer is able to devote one third of his time to investigational work while the rest of his time is taken up by duties relating to maintenance of public order, VIP protection, petition enquiries, preventive patrol, court attendance and other administrative work.

There is, therefore, an urgent need for increasing the cadre of investigating officers. Serious examination is necessary to restructure the police hierarchy to secure a larger number of officers to handle investigational work and to formulate a yardstick indicating the quantum of efficient handling of investigation by one officer. Exclusive attention to investigation deserves priority, to start with.

The strengthening of forensic science laboratory facilities and scientific aids to detection of crime, adequate supply of printed forms and standardized stationery and the introduction of computers amongst others will hopefully substantially remove the present deficiency in investigational work.

The effective supervision of an investigation would call for-

1) A test visit to the scene of crime

2) A cross check with the complainant and a few important witnesses to ensure that their version has been correctly brought on police record and that whatever clues they had in view have been pursued by the police

3) Periodic discussion with the investigation officer to ensure continuity of attention to the case.

f) Training is an essential input for making the police face and tackle a difficult job but at the same time vulnerability of the police to external factors, organizational, administrative and situational circumstances has to be appreciated. Paramilitary postures and attitudes have become ineffective and outdated in dealing with most of the situations. A qualitative change in police perspective and approach demands corresponding change in the police culture and a much greater effort in training and education to develop greater professional competence. A wholly law and order oriented force has to be so transformed that while retaining the keen appreciation of its prime responsibility for crime prevention and maintenance of law and order, it also develops an understanding of the larger social issues. It may no longer remain a force for status quo. Therefore, the main thrust of training should be towards an enlargement in the content of police training from law and order and crime prevention to a greater sensitivity and understanding of human behaviour, the imbibing of communication skills and development of citizen oriented activities.

For the present, will remain restricted to the training of constables which constitute the overwhelming bulk of the police force. For various reasons the constabulary at present has little to motivate it to a meaningful and positive performance of police tasks with a full understanding of the implications and objectives of police action. They often function mechanically in situations where they are required to exercise their discretion and judgement. They operate rigidly in circumstances which demand flexibility of approach and understanding of the opposite point of view. The objective, therefore, should be improvement in the quality of the constabulary towards an effective and humane policing, to be achieved through better recruitment material, purposeful training and a new organizational culture.

The prospect and opportunity within the police may have to be so modeled as to enable the able and deserving constables to steadily reach the higher levels in the system. The recruiting process and the training institutions should make the constable aware of these possibilities as a motivation. The majority of the constabulary in the future should be well educated initially and further educated by departmental training. The revised system that we like to visualize may be such in which a good number of constables will have to be trained and developed as a potential investigation officers who can, with experience handle discreet work independently.

The police image largely depends on the appreciation by the citizens, of the attitudes, conduct and response of the constabulary. The constable should be taught how to address the fellow citizens. It should be daily indoctrinated on the job by the personal example of superior officers. The correct behaviour can be ensured by the courteous conduct of the supervisory and senior officers in their interaction with both the people and the constables.

Finally, institution bashing which wittingly or unwittingly has become the favourite pass time of some self-serving individuals will definitely not augur well for the nation. We would do well to remember that despite the mistrust and misgivings, the police, inter-alia, continues to be the principal investigating agency for the state as incorporated in the statute book. It should only be proper and wise to dispassionately find out the causes of under performance and come up with remedies. Wiser societies have ventured in that direction and thus helped themselves in laying the strong foundation of a democratic polity. Since none of us would like to live in a stateless society, we would all like to earnestly and quickly repair the cracks that appear to have surfaced in a vital organ of the state.

The "Operation Clean Heart" has been instrumental in the creation of a conducive climate. Now is the time to embark upon the much needed police reform for ensuring peace.

Md Nurul Huda is a former Secretary and IG of Police.