The government has finalised a draft ordinance for forming an independent police commission, with a view to ensuring accountability within the force and making policing fair, transparent, and free from undue influence.
For decades, people from all strata of the society wanted the police force to be freed from the colonial attitude and serve the people as friends. But our police force has been frequently plagued by impunity, politicisation, and public mistrust. The police force virtually became an instrument of political oppression with its credibility eroding severely. The relationship between police and citizens became so fragile that the necessity of an independent police commission was greatly felt.
The interim government formed a Police Reform Commission that submitted a report in January this year, suggesting extensive measures to restore integrity and accountability in the force. The report proposed the creation of an independent police commission. In early September, the interim government asked the law ministry to draft laws to establish two separate commissions to ensure accountability within the police force and enable internal investigations free from external interference.
Against this backdrop, the draft police commission ordinance was finalized and it gives the proposed commission authority to oversee promotions, posting. If passed, it will take precedence over other related laws and give the commission broad powers to oversee discipline, integrity, and performance within the force, and recommend reforms in policing policies and practices. The commission will also be able to recommend action against any person or entity found attempting to exert unlawful or undue influence over police activities. It will also investigate citizen complaints against police members and take appropriate action, ensuring confidentiality of the complaints. The commission will function as a self-governed statutory authority.
It is known to everyone that bureaucratic interference has long undermined professionalism in the police force and undue political and bureaucratic control must end. We believe that the independent police commission will oversee that use of force against civilians be the last resort and always precise, proportional and appropriate. Police excesses must be done away with so that public trust in police is not corroded. We also believe the commission will work vigorously to prevent any custodial torture, extortion, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances.
The draft says the commission will help build a people-friendly, efficient and rights compliant police force with integrity, free from political or bureaucratic interference. The commission will, among other things, monitor police activities to ensure that the human rights are respected thoroughly to strengthen trust between the police and the public.
Expert also believe that an independent commission could free the police from decades of manipulation such a body would protect human rights by ensuring that recruitment and promotions are based on talent and merit, investigations are guided by evidence rather than orders, and misconducts are addressed transparently. According to the draft, the commission will issue directives to prevent misuse of power by the police. People believe that a truly independent commission, free from ministerial or partisan control, can help build a humane, people-friendly and service-oriented police force.
