By Suchada Tupchai
National Police Day on October 13 has come and gone with
lots of promotions leaving many of the officers particularly proud to be
serving and doing their duty. The interesting thing about this year’s
anniversary, however, was the message from Pol. Gen. Kovit Wattana,
commissioner general, Royal Thai Police to the Royal Thai Police Force. He
wrote that in everybody’s life, when learning their profession, they have
to acquire virtue. This is especially true of police officers. Other than
knowledge and ability, officers must perform under police ethics and the
ideals that relate directly to virtue.
The importance of National Police Day does not only
involve merit making, ceremonial activities or promotions. It is all about
the duty the police force has to serve the public.
Yet let us take a look at the result of an opinion poll
organized by the radio station Sor Wor Por 91 FM during the run-up to the
anniversary celebrations. The poll asked 4,326 members of the public,
“Are you satisfied with the job done by Thai police?” Of those polled,
4,182 people (96.67 percent) said that they were not satisfied while only
144 people (3.33 percent) said that they were. The poll was held between 10
a.m. and 2 p.m. on October 12, just before the National Police Day
celebrations were about to get underway, a time consequently when most
people were more likely to be reflecting on the virtues or otherwise of the
police force.
Even though this represents only a small section of the
total voice of the population, it still reflects the image of the job
carried out by police officers in the eyes of the public - negative. In
truth, the job of the police officer is to be a friend to the public, to
serve and protect within the framework of the law. Police officers are
required to work harder by the minute due to the nature of the evolution of
crime in all its forms. But even on the same path, the police and the
public often move in opposite directions with the attitude of the public
severely negative towards the police. If only 3.33 percent of an opinion
poll say they are satisfied with the job done by police officers, then no
matter what margin of error may be taken into account, it still leaves a
lot of people who are dissatisfied.
The Thai public wants police officers worthy of praise -
a police force with ideals in treating suffering, encouraging happiness and
taking care of the community. The public does not want non-conformists.
They require officers that are proud to be officers and who love their
institution.
Even though today the public view of the police is
negative, the fact is that we cannot live without the force. Every society
has systems to control it. The police force is one important mechanism of
the government to maintain peace within society. Therefore, the important
point is that the public must help to run the machine and play a bigger
role in checks on society, supporting honest police officers, and giving
them a chance of promotion. The public has to abide by the law and not give
the opportunity to those that would embezzle the masses to make a living.
If the police force would be more broad-minded in allowing the public to
participate in employing the power of government, a peaceful society would
not be only a dream.
