Guidelines will be out soon, says IGP

Malay Mail 
by Thasha Jayamanogaran

THE standard operating procedure (SOP) for police handling of media personnel during mass gatherings will be implemented soon, says Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Ismail Omar (pic).

He said the police were drafting the SOP.

“Immediately after the chaos at the recent Bersih 3.0 rally, we addressed this issue and it (the SOP) is in the process of being analysed and studied,” he said when commenting on the findings of the Bersih 3.0 independent investigative panel that police had no SOP on how to handle the media during crises.

Panel chairman Tun Hanif Omar had said the lack of such an SOP could have caused the alleged violence against media personnel covering the rally by some lower rank police officers.

Said Ismail: “We also learn from experience. I will be receiving the full report from the panel today (Monday). If there is any weakness from our side, we will definitely look into it.”

On allegations that recent criminal activities were the work of former Emergency Ordinance (EO) detainees released following its repeal, Ismail said that while it was a challenge for the police, he would not agree it had contributed to an increase in crime.

“They do not have figures or proof. It is our job and we are here to stay and deal with the new challenges. We are not running away from anything. The ex-EO detainees also have moral obligations and we do not look at them as criminals,” he said.

Ismail reiterated his statement last week that one of the police’s main goals now was to meet public expectations in their handling of crime.

He said police were studying the changing methods used criminals and adopt the necessary counter-measures.

It was reported that at a closed-door meeting between Ismail and his men last Friday, police agreed they must ensure that the public felt safe following the recent series of violent mall and street crimes.