State urged to overhaul police force

MENYAMYA MP Thomas Pelika has urged the Government to restrict the posting period of police officers in the country to a maximum of five years.
Pelika, a police officer before entering politics, told Parliament yesterday that there needed to be a complete overhaul in the current police hierarchy and the systems and processes of police operation.
“There seems to be a complete breakdown of command and control in the police force and there are several factors that lead to this,” Pelika said.
“But one approach the Government can take to address is limiting the posting period of police officers to less than five years.”
Pelika said restrict the posting period would help police officers from compromising their jobs when discharging their duties.
“When we allow them to stay for longer period, they eat and feed from the hands of the locals in that particular area and establish themselves there and because of that, they cannot seriously discharge their duty without fear or favour,” Pelika said.
He said some were buying off land and blocks from the locals, doing business and involved in all sorts of activities apart from the oath that they had taken to serve the people and the country.
“I am speaking this from my experience as a police officer before,” Pelika said.
He suggested that in terms of police and defence force recruitments, they should be based in remote communities and not in urban centres for a start.
“Most of the adult and young people living in cities and towns seriously lack discipline because of the influence of media and the rapid rate of developments,” he said.
“Some of the recruits in urban centres are criminals who have already establish themselves before entering the police force and that’s why we have seen a complete breakdown in command and control in the police and force.”