EDITORIAL: Poor police conduct needs attention

The lack of discipline within police ranks has not only been a worry to the police leadership, but also to the public who interact with its members daily.

Policemen and -women are central figures to our democracy. Simply because, without them, internal national security will not be possible. As hundreds of police trainees prepare to graduate today, it is opportune to pause and reflect on the deteriorating levels of discipline in the force. At every official event, you hear police bosses lament poor conduct within the lower ranks.

The situation is partly caused by the poor remuneration police officers are subjected to. Incidents of crime involving police officers have become the order of the day in recent years. This perhaps begs the question: Have the standards of police training dropped? Nowadays, members of the public do not have complete trust in police officers because of their conduct, both on and off-duty. From soliciting bribes and consuming alcohol while in uniform to colluding with criminals, the reputation of our men and women in uniform leaves little to be desired these days.

The situation certainly also serves as an indictment on the police leadership who continue to fail to rein in their juniors.

Poor conduct within the police force has not only resulted in members of the public losing confidence in the police - many are no longer comfortable enough to report matters or provide tip-offs as they feel nothing will come of it.

It is perhaps time that those tasked with developing the police training curriculum consider aligning it with the current realities on the ground.