Independent police complaints commission overdue
Mmegi Editor | Friday December 2, 2016 12:38
The existence of an oversight body will help to stabilise the manner in which the police work with members of the public.
It does not only come in as a measure to protect the people from the police, but it also functions as protection armour for the police from the people.
The police exist to protect the community, in incidents where they feel unsafe or undone by the same protection body, they could take their issues and complaints to the oversight body.
There are mysterious incidents in this country where people have died and disappeared under police detention.
Sometimes when the police are in their line of duty, they lose sight to the Constitutional rights of every citizen.
The Constitution is the basic fundamental foundation for all laws in any country including our own. Every law is established taking the Constitution into account.
It is these fundamental rights that need to be protected and this is something that the police often overlook in their line of duty.
In this country there are so many people who are qualified to staff the commission.
There are many retired police officers who would want to function in this commission in order to safeguard the integrity of the organisation they served for so long.
It is their legacy at stake because at during their time there were fewer such cases of abuse of power. They would not only bring their police service experience with them, rather they would advice on the issues of law.
The commission would function in a similar fashion as that of board of other parastatals. We know that the police are accountable to the minister, who in our situation tends to act as employer, judge and prosecutor.
That is not right. What is needed is to have an independent body to keep check on the work of law enforcers.
The commission which should be largely filled by men and women who have a clear understanding of police work would help bridge the growing rift between the public and the police.
Today’s thought
“Whatever the range of opinions may be, it is fairly safe to say that nobody believes the police should have no accountability.”
– Alaina Varvaloucas