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NewsDay

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Call for sober policing

Opinion & Analysis
Addressing assistant commissioners attending a seminar recently Commissioner General of Police, Augustine Chihuri, advised his junior colleagues to use the opportunity to increase their worldly wisdom, and to be more astute when leading the police in a highly polarised environment.

Addressing assistant commissioners attending a seminar recently Commissioner General of Police, Augustine Chihuri, advised his junior colleagues to use the opportunity to increase their worldly wisdom, and to be more astute when leading the police in a highly polarised environment. This prescient message was passed on to the “black hats”, as senior officers are affectionately called in the force, during this winter of 2016 — a winter that is turning out to be one of discontent. It calls for sober policing.

Tapiwa Nyandoro

Augustine Chihuri
Augustine Chihuri

A few weeks before that, a young police constable hot on the heels of a truck driver, who had abandoned his behemoth over laden with contraband, was attacked by a group of touts. That allowed the criminal, probably driving a shef’s vehicle and cargo, to make good his escape. Polarised, the environment indeed is. In civilised communities, the public would have helped the police officer apprehend the law-breaker.

According to State media, the political party in power has done nothing wrong in 36 years. That is since independence. The privately-funded Press, however, has completely the opposite view. The ruling party and its leader have both done nothing right in 36 years. Most supporters of political parties exhibit the same polarisation. And so do factions within some political parties. Ominously the unsatisfactory position may be evident in some government institutions the security cluster and judiciary included. In such a climate, it is worthwhile to review or re-visit the skills the police needs.

It would be interesting to find out if by the end of their seminar the assistant commissioners had compiled a full dossier of the skills armoury the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) needs to navigate the treacherous political, social, economic and legal landscapes going forward in a polarised Zimbabwe. Portions of the eulogy given by both the British Conservative and Labour Party leadership to the British MP Jo Cox slain in the UK recently by an extremist, probably mentally ill, could have given them guidance.

“Cox was in politics for the right reasons, to further humanitarian goals. When she disagreed with your point of view, she did so without being disagreeable”, said Ed Miliband of the Labour Party. “She yearned to serve the community and to promote tolerance, the values we live by”, said David Cameron the Prime Minister. President Robert Mugabe had similar praise for the late former Minister of Health, Brigadier General Felix Muchemwa. “He was committed to serving the people. He put patients first; people first”.

The same should be said of each and every police officer, especially the commissioned officers. In this polarised climate, they must be committed to serve their traumatised community. They must exercise tolerance even as polarisation presents temptation. But are they up to the task? Are they in the police service for the right reasons?

As has been said to students at faith-based universities in defence of freedom of speech, (The Economist, June 4 2016), the police must learn to fight back using peaceful means, rhetoric and reason. They must learn to disagree without being disagreeable. They must never try to silence views with which they disagree. They must answer objectionable speech with more speech. They must win the contest of ideas and the arguments, without resorting to force.

That requires the police to grow tough hides. Such a transformation would see the service becoming the first amongst human rights defenders. That would bring a smile on every face; fake foe and fake friend alike. After all Zimbabweans, are in the same sinking boat that is their beautiful country.

Reading the environment well and following the sentiments of the Commissioner General of Police, economist John Robertson, as quoted in NewsDay (June 30, 2016), had some advice for the authorities. He said police roadblocks should be eliminated. Zimra inspectors should be trained to help taxpayers, not to intimidate and threaten them, bank garnishes should be banned, and law-breakers should be prosecuted, whoever they are.

A few days later, at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce annual congress, the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, added considerable weight to the call to remove police roadblocks from the nation’s highways. Mudenda noted that there was no law to support such overzealous and palpably rent-seeking policing that is driving away tourists.

After their seminar, the senior officers, would no doubt nod in agreement. It is time for a cerebral police service that is apolitical; independent-minded and knows what’s right and wrong. The force must understand and use, at the highest level, the disciplines of law, sociology, psychology, economics, accountancy, politics, history and philosophy.

Raising the entry qualifications into the police service to a degree from a reputable institution would be in order. The service now needs a judicious mix of high calibre skills and the application of forensic sciences and ICT at a world class level. Quality and no just quantity, is what will count going forward.

Let the proud achievements by the ZRP on UN peace keeping tours, where their impartial stand helps portray professionalism, be reflected at home in the people’s attitude towards, and perception of their police force. “The nation’s finest”, ought to be an apt, deserved and fitting tribute to a Service organisation that is more than just a force.

l Tapiwa Nyandoro can be contacted on [email protected] or [email protected]