Image reforms for police

Mohammad Ali Babakhel

Updated about 19 hours ago

SKIRMISHES between the police and members of society not only erode public confidence in the
criminal justice system but do the countrys image no good. In a terrorism-infested land, the police
are the foremost line of defence. But despite their many sacrifices, they do not have a public-friendly
image. In fact, because of the security situation, the police here often make headlines, and the
media hardly lets pass even a minor mistake by the service.
It is a fact that the effectiveness of the police service is linked with the latters public image. A police
service with a positive image results in public cooperation and helps create a conducive environment
for community policing.
Public expectations from the police are high. Apart from preventing and detecting crime, the police
are expected to be combatants, human rights protectors and social workers. The dilemma is that
society wants to see them as servants and masters, and that has an impact on the polices image.
But perceptions are based on realities, and as far back as 1902 a police commission documented:
The police force is far from efficient, it is defective in training and organisation, it is inadequately
supervised, it is generally regarded as corrupt and oppressive; and it has utterly failed to secure the
confidence and cordial cooperation of the people.
In Pakistan, police commissions have stressed the need for image-building. Mere cosmetic change
does not work, and substantial reform is emphasised. Such a change would entail public-centric
police laws, financial autonomy for police stations, improved community relations and an
autonomous complaint authority. But before that, surely an organised effort should be made to elicit
the feedback of the public.
While there is a general negative perception of the police service, some countries have gone
through the trouble of assessing the extent of the problem. In India, in an image assessment survey
in the mid 1990s, 54pc of the respondents thought it was better to stay away from police. Only 5pc
said they respected the police. Conversely, the Canadian police enjoy the highest level of public
trust, while in Indonesia, surveys have shown an overwhelming 80pc expressing confidence in the
police.
Pakistan too has some positives to its credit. For example, the Motorway Police focus on imagebuilding as a mission. On a daily average, they help some 2,300 commuters in distress, and in fact
their initiative has been known to extend to giving polio drops to children in transit.
Unfortunately, at the other end, where the law provides for the establishment of police complaint
authorities, these have yet to prove their worth. Other grim realities have also caused a dent in the
polices image, not the least of them corruption. For instance, owing to flaws in the procedure,
corrupt elements who may have been suspended, are reinstated. Such returns further erode the
publics confidence. Zero tolerance of corrupt elements is needed. In Paraguay, from 2011 to 2013,
375 policemen were dismissed for corruption.
So how can the polices image be refurbished?
Apart from correcting the essentials, what can also help is modifying appearances. For instance,
alterations to police station buildings could make for a positive change, as could changes to the
police uniform.

Similarly, the use of technology can expedite police matters, making the police service more
efficient. The Indian states of Punjab and Gujarat introduced e-police stations where FIRs can be
lodged directly in the computer. Recently, the French police introduced drive-through police stations
for people to report crime for convenience.
Conversely in Pakistan, police websites are neither updated daily nor are they public-friendly.
Websites could in fact be a tremendous source of public education and help in the prevention of or
combating crime.
Meanwhile, greater incorporation of women in the police can also improve the image of the service.
Presently in Pakistan, the total strength of the police service is 420,205. This figure includes only
3,737 female officials. Also, the constable-officer ratio needs to be addressed. Instead of recruiting
thousands of constables, the focus should be on the recruitment of officers. A mere increase in
salaries does not improve ones image, hence recruitment standards need more transparency and
rigidity.
And lastly, for building a positive image, police departments need a written media policy and a
dedicated public relations department. As per the existing practice the police management focuses
only on statistics, thus an image audit is not a priority. Such an image audit, to be conducted by an
independent body, is necessary, and on the basis of the findings, training modules can be prepared
and operating procedures modified. In short, image-building would require a combination of gradual,
sustained and immediate reforms.
The writer is a deputy inspector general of the police.
Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2014