During my school days I went on a field trip to visit a local police station. That was way back in the mid-60s where British policemen and women only had their uniforms and badges to accompany them wherever they went. You see, in those days the policemen and women had no firearms to carry around as they seldom had to encounter situations where firearms are needed. At best they only had their trusted truncheons with them.

The relationship between the police and the ordinary citizens was extremely good. One of the ways to enhance the relationship was to organise field trips for school children to visit police stations and to get to know the police men and women who look after their districts, towns, burroughs, cities or counties. There are also activities where the ordinary citizens are involved where they will get close to the police force and understand their work. There was a lot of camaraderie and respect between the people and the police force that problems could be sorted out without too much of a fuss.

We should encourage the police to organise more activities with the locals.

Mohd Ghazali Osman
Ipoh

Source: The Sun – January 31, 2008