By J. D. Lovrenciear
The number of custodial deaths taking place while suspects
are held within lock-ups is certainly a serious blow to the credibility of the
police. What is certain is that the men and women in blue are taking
the beatings from public opinion not so much because of the deaths in lock-ups
but more so because of the poor handling by the captains within corridors of
power.
The unchangeable perception in the public foyer is that when
the police haul a citizen/individual and need to keep them under custody to
expedite the law enforcement responsibilities of the police, the suspect or
alleged law breaker has an irrefutable right to stay alive. It is the duty of
the forces to ensure that the suspect is safe from further harm ā unless it is
the will of God that overrides all human endeavor.
The captains and masters of the police force seem to be
missing out on some useful strategies when it comes to public concerns,
complaints and allegations of wrong doing. To begin with, the schools of public relations will teach
you that rebuttal must follow certain principles. These are:
Ā·
Do not make the complainant look the fool in
public media or try to lord over the rakyat.
Ā·
Never dismiss outright a complaint but give assurances
that the matter will be investigated without compromises.
Ā·
Because it involves the police, recognize from
the start that there is a high degree of public accountability as the police
are the vanguards of the rakyat.
Ā·
Do not make it seem that it is the right of police
and that the rakyat have no business in the matter. Hence, reprimanding and
intimidating the public with statements like āthe public are warned not to
speculateā is counter-productive.
Ā·
Demonstrate empathy and not sympathy; neither
take on an outright denial stance even when you the police know the whole
truth. There is a time to clarify and put forth the truth.
Ā·
Be the first to go to the press where needed, and
not wait till the matter is raised through the public interest groups and/or
social media in particular.
Ā· Taking a contrite and humble approach does not
mean the police are weak but if exercised with an acute sense of
accountability, it will eventually return strength to the credibility of the
men and women in blue.
Ā·
As much as you want to reprimand potential
trouble rousers, ensure that you have the same stern words for your own men and
women under your charge. This gives an impartial and credible thrust to your
position and role.
But from what we read about the statements issued by the
police captains and their politician masters ā whether over television or as
reported in the main stream media as well as the social media, it is obvious
that our police and their political masters have much to learn and master in terms of handling public
opinion and managing public sentiments. The problem is, apparently, everything is being colored by politics
and political power-wielding-and-shielding. And as a result even the well schooled
public relations people within the police force may in all likelihood be
handicapped in exercising their knowledge and skills in handling public complaints,
grouses, allegations and outright wrong doings.
We must come to terms with the āimagesā that affect the
police force. Again, professional public relations demands that they must be
wise and quick to differentiate the āwish imageā, the ācurrent imageā and the āmultiple
imageā that all require different approaches and prescriptions failing which
the police force will continue to suffer from a serious credibility problem. Trying to warn the public that the force cannot be ādemoralizedā
is a pathetic and uninformed position to take ā at least from a public
relations standpoint. It does not help the police.
What probably is necessary is
to cut the bureaucratic tapes and let the learned police do their professional jobs
according to their specific training and roles. Political party priorities must
take a back seat while the police remain committed and demonstrate with
conviction that they are the true guardians of the rakyat and law abiding
citizens irrespective of what political masters have in mind.
This
then will
ensure the fundamental principles of public accountability through the
employ
of effective public relations knowledge and skills return the due
credibility
to the police who are rightly the 'Polis DiRaja Malaysia' - i.e.
subservient to His Majesty's service in protecting His subjects.
In summary, there has to be a without fear or favor disposition in order
for professionalism to prevail.
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