Those worried police officers and nation's concern

III effects on victims
Without doubt the above reports would cause worry because the governance scenario will not register positive improvements if the principal regulatory outfit shows signs of decadence. Many of us including the political masters do not realise that the police as an agency of the state is expected to be the relief-provider. So if appropriately motivated and competent personnel do not man the organisation, who is going to provide the much-needed relief to the common folks? Coming to the unpalatable specifics of getting an appointment in police ranks by greasing the palms of the influentials, one may say with a degree of certitude that appointees from such process mostly turn into bitter individuals from the very start. Only the affected and the insiders know the extent of financial hardship experienced by the ordinary people in such dubious exercise.

So when bitter individuals occupy positions of coercive power, the result cannot be wholesome. The minds and motivations of such individuals remain preoccupied with the compulsions of recouping their initial investment at the earliest. Quite naturally, the lure of the lucre takes its toll. The imperatives of acting neutrally and with sympathy and compassion recede into the background. No wonder therefore that many of our police stations are not sympathetic listening posts from where the people can expect service delivery.

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The important point to note is that most people visit police stations or come into contact with the police only when under stress and strain. It is in these circumstances that every victim expects a sympathetic and understanding response. The expected support and sympathy are not there because the disgruntled and bitter appointees can not appreciate the aforementioned psycho-social dimension. Therefore, if the police has to provide service it has to induct capable and psychologically appropriately disposed individuals.

Impact of unusual intake and truncated training
The disconcerting part of the alleged politically motivated appointments and shortened training is that it cripples the training scenario and makes a mess of career planning. Ad-hoc short term measures are introduced which in the end produce half-baked and ill-trained officials. It is in this background that the reported bulk recruitment and reduced training schedule has to be viewed. Already our police training is in a general state of neglect. The training arrangements are unsatisfactory, qualitatively and quantitatively. The number of policemen have increased substantially but the facilities have not kept pace with this increase.

In Bangladesh context the consideration of the state objectives as enshrined in the constitution highlights the need for training in attitudinal development. Time, therefore, is essential to enable the training process to act as a catalytic agent, the total impact of which, in course of time, will affect the organisation. Training efforts need to be sustained to ensure the achievement of desirable objective. In the police, in particular, the over-all efficiency of an individual depends not only on his knowledge and skills but also on his ability to function in a group and to interact effectively with the people. The higher the level of the official, the greater will be the input of managerial and conceptual skills required in training programs. Regular training should thus be considered as an investment in human resources.

The Trainee Assistant Superintendents of Police who are the potential leaders of the service must be equipped with all such professional knowledge, skills and attitudes that will prepare them for effective performance of their tasks and higher responsibilities. They need to be helped to develop a proper sense of values, faith in the rule of law and a spirit of public service. They should have an understanding of the socio-economic changes occurring in the country and their thinking should be in tune with the national goals and value systems, urges and aspirations of the people. All these can not be done in a shortened training course. Premature field exposure to a duty post without basic orientation will surely ruin the career prospects of young officers.

One many wonder if there is an unhealthy motive in the recruitment of more than usual number of officers in the penultimate year of a political government. The capacity and ability of our training outfits are not satisfactory in the estimation of the professionals, taxpaying citizen and an apprehensive civil society. Sadly, these issues and queries are bothering all concerned because the recruitment of partisan elements as law enforcement officers will dangerously complicate an already fearfully polarised public life. If managers do not grow as they are supposed to be, then not only the government but also the entire society stand to suffer. The unhealthy consequence on enforcement ethos can not be overlooked.

Corrosion in investigation
The Bangladesh Police remains the principal investigating agency for the state. Despite the accumulated complaints against police for faulty and perfunctory investigation there is as yet no other body in place for carrying out the major part of the criminal investigation. Under such circumstances, the alleged recruitment of politically partisan elements, who will very soon acquire investigative powers, will shake public confidence. The apprehension is that such elements will remain preoccupied with largely inconsequential matters to the detriment of proper investigation. Needless to mention that real investigation is to ascertain facts and circumstances and therefore impartial ascertaining of facts and circumstances would be an impossibility.

In view of the above, we must realise the gravity of the situation because we are now passing through a sad time when doubts are being expressed publicly about the efficacy and honesty of the state investigative body. Must we not realise that vital regulatory functions like criminal investigation and maintenance of public order can neither be arrogated to other agencies or be privatised.

The remedy
We must sanitise the recruitment process, especially of subordinate police ranks before it is too late. In order to ensure apolitical recruitment and professional competence, a high-powered committee consisting of police officers, academicians and judicial officers may be formed. A retired justice may head the committee. This committee may profitably adopt the procedures followed by the Public Service Commission. Training needs of police should be accorded greater priority and such expenditures be deemed as investment in the financial exercise.

The real interests of the state must not be allowed to get diluted and mixed up with the interests of the government of the day. Our politicians including the chief executive have to display an understanding and appreciation of the requirements of the state and the government in a democratic and pluralist society. If we fail, professionalism will become the worst casualty, the desired sense of direction will be lost and the police organisation will dip further into a frustratingly lackadaisical environment and interests of the state will take a back seat providing greater space to narrow partisan considerations. Power will have to change hands but the values of a democratic polity that are universal demand unconditional adherence to it.

Muhammad Nurul Huda is a former Secretary and IGP.