PETALING JAYA: Certain senior police officers are allegedly engrossed in social events rather than carrying out core policing matters such as crime busting and prevention.
In text messages containing complaints from police personnel shared by sources, lower-ranking policemen and policewomen complained of senior officers who compelled their subordinates to be part of social programmes and burdened them with fund-raising activities.
“Senior officers like state and police chiefs are engrossed with programmes that are ‘syok sendiri’ (self-gratifying), purportedly to enhance ties with the public.
“Enough is enough, when will the police enforce change? Ask the lower ranking officers, they are sick of this. Ask the public, they too are tired of these programmes,” one message read.
The personnel urged Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador to put an end to such behaviour by senior officers.
Other complaints involved claims that the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department’s (JPJKK) high-profile policing programmes (HPP) were diverting officers from their core duties, which is to protect the public and prevent crime.
theSun shared the messages with Abdul Hamid yesterday and sought his comments.
The top cop said he was aware of the criticism by personnel on the hectic programmes organised by their commanders, to the extent these personnel were forced to forgo their weekends.
“I will discuss it with the deputy IGP (Datuk Mazlan Mansor) and directors to scrutinise all HPP programmes,” he said.
“They (the commanders) have to take into consideration their personnel’s needs and their families as well.
“The HPP shouldn’t be a monthly event, it ties up too many factors, including manpower, energy and costs involved. I strongly recommend the HPP be in tandem with our Police Day, that falls on March 25.”
Abdul Hamid said the HPP programme numbers need to be minimised and more focus placed on its impact instead.
“Numbers don’t mean anything without impact. I discourage this practice. The programmes can instead be held once or twice a year.”
