ON WEDNESDAY of last week, Police Commissioner Francis Forbes expressed frustration at not being able to dismiss policemen suspected of being involved in the trafficking of narcotics. In his comments at an airport press conference, set against the background of the record cocaine drug bust the previous day, Mr. Forbes said the hierarchy of the Force continues to be frustrated, knowing who some of the corrupt policemen are, yet being unable to dismiss them. He blamed the regulations of the Public Service Commission for the Force's inability to take action as swiftly as he would like.
Perhaps Mr. Forbes did not fully express all that is bothering him about the public service's disciplinary procedures. However, on the basis of what was said, we suggest that he is looking at the problem from the wrong end of the telescope.
His statements unwittingly provide fuel for those who question the professionalism of the Police Force. It does not engender much confidence to hear the head of the Force talk about "knowing" who the criminals are yet being unable to act. Everybody on his/her verandah knows the criminals! The Police Force is invested with resources, admittedly not enough, to go beyond the kind of "knowing" to which Mr. Forbes alluded.
What is required is good, effective detective work that will provide "airtight" evidence to nab the culprits. It would be very bad for men and women to be dismissed from the Force on the basis of suspicion only. The problem, we submit, lies not in the various regulations of the Public Service Commission. Rather, it is weak investigation.
At the press conference, the Commissioner spoke about the tremendous strides that have been made over the past 18 months in the police's intelligence capacity. This is the route to successful policing. Criminals, whether in uniform or civilian clothing, do not normally leave open trails inviting people to come to their doorsteps. It is for the police to train the sleuths who will be dogged in their probing, infiltrating networks where necessary and eliciting the co-operation of good citizens to flush out the criminals among us.
There may be good reasons to have a reform of the Public Service Commission's regulations, but not on the basis suggested by Mr. Forbes. There are sophisticated ways to ferret out high-level wrong-doing. The establishment of even stronger links with Scotland Yard may help provide an answer.
