allAfrica.com: Mauritius: Beyond the Frontiers of Law and Order (Page 1 of 1)

Plato wrote in The Republic that nobody is law-abiding and moral by choice but the set of laws propel him to adhere to the code of conduct and make him moral. No society can ensure peace, safety and security without a police force.

The primary task of any police is to preserve public peace and tranquillity. They have to protect and preserve life and property, to prevent and suppress crime, to enforce laws and to apprehend offenders. It does not pay to castigate them and it will profit only to offenders and law-breakers.

In many ways, the lot of a policeman is not a much-coveted one. Unpopularity is one of its most predictable rewards. He has to work for our well-being and safety while others sleep, he has to risk his life to save others and at times he has to keep a vigil over a corpse after a crime has been committed in the middle of the night in a deserted spot. His social life and that of his family are deeply affected, not only by the uncongenial hours but by the view that he can be called for duty in times of emergency. In addition, his job is hazardous, uncomfortable and not too well-paid. On embracing the job, the policeman takes up a way of life in which duty, service and sacrifice become his mantra.

In the eyes of the public, the policeman is regarded as unpopular and against this odd perception he has to accomplish his duty conscientiously. From the constable on the beat to the Commissioner, he must be armed with the highest degree of integrity, honesty and discipline. He should be fearless. Evidently like in any other field, there are black sheep but we must never generalise. Put ourselves in their place, when we have to deal with drunken savages, hysterical prostitutes, political thugs, violent burglars, sex maniacs, uncontrollable hooligans, political mobs and insolent well-to-do. The least mistake you make will be splashed in the mass media and you are discharged from office. You must be tactful and calm dealing with situations as these and you have to make quick decisions on the spur of the moment. Very often you are provoked, ridiculed and sneered at, you must keep your head on your shoulder. In the law courts, when you are called to give evidence, the defence counsel will shake your credibility by all sorts of stratagems and will mock at you. If you are sensitive, you feel that you are hated by the whole society. You will return home feeling like an outcast and consequently your family life and happiness may be marred. Sometimes if you are on the sentinel, the minister will send you on an errand to the bakery, or you are coerced to open the gate in the middle of the night because the demi-god is returning from a function. If you do not salute the Minister, you can be transferred to Siberia. You can be a road bully if you are escorting a VIP as you are stressful amidst the dense traffic.

Healthy inter-relationship between the police and society is of utmost importance. Mutual understanding and cooperation between the two stakeholders are vital in a democratic country. Not combating crime constitutes a crime in itself and the government should see to it that there is law and order in this tiny island to protect law-abiding and peace-loving citizens. Paradoxically this is a land where VIP's residences are heavily guarded like a citadel while the common people cannot walk leisurely without being assaulted in broad daylight. The system of policing needs revising. Hardly any policeman can be seen on the road, especially in towns where hawkers can do whatever they like even in front of a foreign embassy. The presence of a police officer can be deterrent to law breaking. The police are the guardians and protectors of the citizens and their rights, not their enemies.

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