Dear Editor,
While I wholeheartedly laud the recent efforts of acting Police Commis-sioner David Ramnarine regarding the combatting of corruption in the Police Force namely, the dismissal of thirty officers, my optimism was somewhat short lived.
Just a little over a year ago, a stern warning was issued to the same Police Force by the Vice President and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, notifying them of zero tolerance for harassment of members of the public in any form, bullyism or torture. Any of these would result in dismissal from the force, followed by criminal prosecution wherever necessary. Plainly put, there would be no place for rogue cops. Did his speech fall on deaf ears? Or did he utter the warning in a strange tongue?
A factor which has not been addressed is the selection and hiring process of the Police Force. Certainly the dismissal of thirty members from the ranks speaks volumes in itself. Who was responsible for the selection process whereby they were hired? Pre-employment screening usually identifies problem potential recruits. Perhaps in the case of some of the dismissed officers, signs may have been present but the screening officer may have either overlooked them or was not trained in their detection and interpretation. If the government is firmly dedicated to stamping out corruption, and if the training of recruits is to have a significant impact on corruption then all the dimensions of the problem must be fully explored.
Some consideration may need to be given to raising the age of entry into the Police Force, as the present age may not be conducive to the evaluation of adult work and behaviour records. There should be a new anti-corruption strategy where heavy emphasis is placed on ethics and values training. Although previously met with controversy, polygraph testing as used by some law enforcement agencies in the USA may be effective in the initial screening of candidates.
While the wheels of change are turning it is imperative that the Commissioner keeps in mind that this present wave of reform needs to go beyond the immediately identified problems to look at the organization itself. We cannot sit back and look at this as a few rotten apples in an otherwise healthy barrel. For all we know we may already have an orchard of bad apples.
Rogue cops are not natural born crooks or criminals, nor are they morally evil men, constitutionally different from their truthful colleagues. In other words corrupt policemen are made not born, therefore not only the apples should be examined but also the barrel—the entire Force not just the police in it.
With reference to police officers overseas, they are socialized into not cooperating with investigations into the actions of their colleagues. It is the code of silence, and a policeman’s adherence to the blue curtain of secrecy puts him somewhat within the system of corruption, whether or not he takes part in corrupt activities.
There is also the perceived gap between income and responsibilities which may provide an invitation for corruption.
In most organizations it is policies that are changed first and then practices change in line with the new policies. The wind of change has started blowing, and hopefully will continue to blow in the right direction, and now it is merely a matter of ensuring that it blows unceasingly on preventive and punitive control policies. Malpractice and corruption will be discouraged through an increased emphasis on detection and the punishment of wrongdoing. On a final note the participation of the public is also paramount to success in stamping out corruption.
Yours faithfully.
Yvonne Sam
