Cops: Gov't also to blame for poor police work

Lack of funding, bureaucratic inertia and problematic government procurement are major hurdles that limit the abilities of the police to improve on their investigating and crime-solving capabilities.

This was the admission of several senior and former police officers heard at a forum organised at Universiti Malaya on strengthening investigative culture and practices among law enforcement officers

"Eighty percent of the police budget is for salary, for emolument, (while) only 20 percent is for other purposes like training and equipment," KL CID chief Ku Chin Wah (right) told the forum held by Proham, an association of former members of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia.

Speaking before an audience of roughly twenty academicians, experts, civil activists and law enforcement officers, Ku explained that the lack of funding limits the ability of police to train and equip their investigators with the tools and training required to efficiently solve cases.

Ku also added that the already limited budget for materials and training is often cut whenever the government experiences shortfalls.

But even when equipment and training programmes are obtained after labourious battles with government officials, Ku said their quality are at times not be up to scratch.

"When we ask for things, what we get is not always what we want. It's different and sub-standard. That is what happens with (government) contracts, when it is tendered out," he lamented.

Former CID chief Zaman Khan, and a former head of police logistics, agreed with Ku and related battles with the government officials of their day - the longest lasting being their 30-year fight for a police forensic lab of their own to speed up investigations.

Ku also stressed that only 15 to 25 percent of the force are actually investigating officers assigned to solve criminal cases, while most of the force, the other 75 percent, are assigned to other duties.

'Drop in cases sent for conviction'

However, former judge KC Vorah who also spoke at the discussion noticed that there was an alarming trend in the declining quality of criminal cases investigated by the police, which bespoke of more serious and structural matters.

"There is a drop in the number of cases sent for conviction in court," he pointed out.

The problem, he believe, is in inadequate evidence caused by improper evidence-gathering and the lackadaisical quality of investigating officers at senior levels, many of whom lack experience.

"There must be proper evidence-gathering procedures. The chain of evidence must be maintained so that it can stand up in court."

"Seniors officers are put in high office without going through the rungs. They are promoted not through experience, but are put into high office without having seen the beat and really understanding investigation and its procedures."

Vorah related his own experience how a senior investigating officer came over to his house after it was burgled and simply traipsed around doing nothing while crime scene investigators used outdated procedures to obtain evidence for the investigation.

The result of the investigation never saw the light of day, said Vorah.

Former Selangor DPP Patricia Tan, meanwhile, recounted her difficulties with investigating officers who did not know how to ask the right questions to witnesses and suspects.

Knowing what to ask and setting up a line of questioning to obtain evidence is just as important to the case as physical evidence, she posits.

Reluctant investigators

To Tan's remarks, Zaman responded in agreement that the way police investigations are being conducted and supervised and investigator officers (IO) picked and trained in the force he left behind 14 years ago are problematic.

"Not everyone can be an IO. You have to have the right person with the knack for investigation.

“It is not only a question of vacancy and you put a man there to plug the gap. You really need to find someone really interested in investigation. You cannot just put anyone there.

There should be a selection panel to interview candidates before acceptance," he said in reference to current practice of filling in the blanks.

Interest and passion for the job, he believe, goes a long way to help ensuring focus and enduring the rigours of the investigation process, as they would have to go out for days or weeks at times to investigate.

But other then the lack of hard work, proper supervision and interest, Zaman also lamented that the current crop of cops are reluctant to 'mix around' socially to gather information and intelligence.

"Many cops are afraid to go out to the clubs and what not. You have to go out to get information. Believe me, we are given money for that. Not that much, but enough to sustain ourselves on such occasions."

He also pointed out that cops trained for years as investigators and sent for extensive courses will have to leave their vocation in pursuit of promotion as the current police promotion scheme requires an officer be transferred out to be promoted.

This has torn apart the ranks of experienced investigators.

Organisers of the forum said the findings and recommendations garnered from the forum will be compiled and sent to the inspector-general of police Ismail Omar, who had agreed to the creation of the joint-discussion with Proham.