Police to conduct five phases of drills for GE14

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will be initiating election drills in phases to ensure policemen and officers are ready to face the 14th General Election (GE14).
Federal police Internal Security and Public Order Department director Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah, said the drills will be conducted in five phases and that the police are now in the first phase, to prepare personnel to take immediate action in case there are any unexpected incidents.
"Though the police do not know the exact date of the election, but the drills are necessary. Not that we are expecting something to happen, but we want to be ready for anything during the election," he told reporters during the city police chief hand-over ceremony in KL police headquarters, here today.
Phase two, he said, comes in when the candidates are announced, the next phase is during the campaign, another phase is while votes are cast, and the final phase takes place after voting.
Zulkifli said with these drills, police should be able to maintain law and order during nominating and polling days, and throughout the campaigning period.
Meanwhile, the city contingent yesterday received the new police chief, Commissioner Datuk Mazlan Lazim, who took over the helm from Commissioner Datuk Amar Singh, who has been appointed as the federal police Commercial Crime Investigation Department director.
Taking Mazlan's place is DCP Datuk Zainuddin Yaacob, who formerly held the deputy city police chief position in Perak.
Mazlan said to date, the crime index in the city had decreased by 27%.
"I want to focus on three issues, namely snatch theft cases, drugs and prostitution, as well as gambling.
"This is just the beginning and we will come up with plans to curb the problems," he said after the ceremony.