THE police’s new motto - Firm, Fair and Courteous - is a breath of fresh air and moves in tandem with the changing political landscape of the country.

It stems from the much-needed apolitical approach that society demands.

The police force is on the right track to achieve its goal of ensuring a safer society.

The new badge on integrity is an extension of what is expected of the uniform as by itself it stands for all that is morally right.

Obviously, the challenges will be more demanding and the force has to be prepared in meeting them head-on.

I trust the men in blue will rise to the occasion as they have done before.

The war against crime will be whether the force can live up to this new theme, and this entails the procurement of intelligence, the apprehension and prosecution of criminal offenders and crime prevention.

This is in contrast to over-emphasis on crime prevention in the past.

The police must also embrace the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission and take on the challenges that come with it. This will restore public trust and confidence in the force.

The call to increase community policing, especially in raising awareness on how to help the police fight crime, should be heeded.

Nevertheless, a cautious approach must be adopted in encouraging the public to do crime-prevention duties as they are neither trained in using force nor legally protected if they use excessive force when confronting criminals.

Officers with experience and knowledge must be brought into departments, especially in intelligence gathering, so that evidence can be collected to enable the law to be applied to criminals.

I hope the force will adapt to the culture of transparency and accountability.

To all police officers, I wish them all the best on Police Day.

G. SELVA, Ipoh

Source: NST – March 28, 2008