What measures would you like to see to make the Police Forces more....
By irkhan
@irkhan (80)
India
April 14, 2007 9:24am CST
What measures would you like to see to make the Police Forces more accountable to citizens?
Tragically, the Police force today is seen to serve the best interests of political parties, bureaucrats, businessmen and other such entities. For most police personnel, this is a way of survival. The purpose of police in any society is to maintain law and order and ensure public safety. Policing, like teaching and medicine, has a very intimate connection with social life and social change. Yet, the Police are hardly seen in such terms by citizens. At best, there is a sense of cynicism and at worst, even fear of the Police forces. How do we insulate policing from such negative political and bureaucratic interferences to make it fully accountable to law and civil society?
1 response
@gbolly54 (661)
• Nigeria
14 Apr 07
It appears the police have very bad reputation almost all over the world. I don't know where you are posting from or the police of the country you are talking about. However, they are terrible in this part of the world. They are corrupt, poorly trained, inadequately equipped, poorly paid, poorly motivated, shabbily kitted and filthily and sparsely housed. With all the demotivating factors mentioned above, one can charitably absolve the police in this place from blame. Indeed, criminals, who are better armed, often disarm and kill the policemen with impunity. They are so helpless and hopeless that some of them go into a secret alliance with thugs, armed robbers and other criminals such that the people they are supposed to protect have become defenceless. To say the least, it is disheartening.
