Have the Police Become A Tool of the Executive?
Police
Hitting a controversial patch
They regard some assault cases as civil disputes, raising public furore.
By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.com
Aug 8, 2006
Not long ago, a gang of older girls beat up a 12-year-old girl in public, video filming the assault, and the tape was widely posted in the Internet.
The assailants were known, but the police said it would not act because nobody had lodged a report with them. It sparked questions about the responsibility of the police when public violence was committed.
Yesterday, another Singaporean wrote to the press to complain that her brother, a doctor in a Singapore hospital, was eating alone at a Geylang food-stall at night when he was approached by six to eight youths who accused him of staring at them
“When he denied doing so, they assaulted him, beating him in the face and abdomen,” said Ms Liew Sok Kuan.
According to Ms. Liew, he suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to one of his facial nerves. He had to undergo a three-hour operation, which included having two metal plates inserted around one of his eyes, she said.
“He suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to one of his facial nerves. He had to undergo a three-hour operation, which included having two metal plates inserted around one of his eyes,” related Ms. Liew.
They escaped in their motorbikes, but the victim noted two of the bikes’ numbers and rang up 999 and reported to them what had happened.
Despite the serious injury in what was clearly a criminal case, she alleged the police shockingly declined to go after the assailants, and instead asked him to lodge a report with the Magistrates' Court, and left
“They advised that this was a civil case and it was for the magistrate to decide if any action was to be taken.”
Ms Liew added: “It was only when an appeal was made that my brother's case was reclassified under Section 325 (from Section 323), 10 days after the incident, by which time witnesses would have dispersed and memories faded.
“Had the police acted promptly, especially when they were at the scene, they might have had a better chance of apprehending the culprits as there were witnesses around.”
It sparked off a debate about the role and the priorities of the police. Two questions immediately arose: -
* Do they regard violent crime as less important than political activism? A dozen anti-riot policemen carrying shields and batons recently were rushed to disperse four opposition party activists protesting peacefully in central Singapore.
* How many such public assault cases have been classified as civil cases? If it is a general policy, how has it affected the record of crime statistics in Singapore, since civil cases are not classified under ‘crime’. In other words, should crime statistics be higher than what is announced?
Public opinion was largely against the police in this case and I believe that a high-level public statement is needed to explain what the police role and responsibility is in the event of a public assault.
While the police ignored violent assault cases they acted zealously against four individuals for staging a peaceful request for transparency and accountability at Robinson Road. The quartet were interrogated and almost charged in court though they harmed no one nor violated any Singapore law.
They also thought it was necessary to question some of those who showed solidarity for mrbrown, the columnist sacked by the tabloid TODAY for his satirical article on the government policies, by appearing in brown t-shirt outside Singapore's City Hall underground station.
Have the police become a tool of the executive?
Have they forgotten that they are supposed to be independent and their first and foremost duty is to uphold law and order in the nation?
Hitting a controversial patch
They regard some assault cases as civil disputes, raising public furore.
By Seah Chiang Nee, littlespeck.com
Aug 8, 2006
Not long ago, a gang of older girls beat up a 12-year-old girl in public, video filming the assault, and the tape was widely posted in the Internet.
The assailants were known, but the police said it would not act because nobody had lodged a report with them. It sparked questions about the responsibility of the police when public violence was committed.
Yesterday, another Singaporean wrote to the press to complain that her brother, a doctor in a Singapore hospital, was eating alone at a Geylang food-stall at night when he was approached by six to eight youths who accused him of staring at them
“When he denied doing so, they assaulted him, beating him in the face and abdomen,” said Ms Liew Sok Kuan.
According to Ms. Liew, he suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to one of his facial nerves. He had to undergo a three-hour operation, which included having two metal plates inserted around one of his eyes, she said.
“He suffered multiple facial fractures and damage to one of his facial nerves. He had to undergo a three-hour operation, which included having two metal plates inserted around one of his eyes,” related Ms. Liew.
They escaped in their motorbikes, but the victim noted two of the bikes’ numbers and rang up 999 and reported to them what had happened.
Despite the serious injury in what was clearly a criminal case, she alleged the police shockingly declined to go after the assailants, and instead asked him to lodge a report with the Magistrates' Court, and left
“They advised that this was a civil case and it was for the magistrate to decide if any action was to be taken.”
Ms Liew added: “It was only when an appeal was made that my brother's case was reclassified under Section 325 (from Section 323), 10 days after the incident, by which time witnesses would have dispersed and memories faded.
“Had the police acted promptly, especially when they were at the scene, they might have had a better chance of apprehending the culprits as there were witnesses around.”
It sparked off a debate about the role and the priorities of the police. Two questions immediately arose: -
* Do they regard violent crime as less important than political activism? A dozen anti-riot policemen carrying shields and batons recently were rushed to disperse four opposition party activists protesting peacefully in central Singapore.
* How many such public assault cases have been classified as civil cases? If it is a general policy, how has it affected the record of crime statistics in Singapore, since civil cases are not classified under ‘crime’. In other words, should crime statistics be higher than what is announced?
Public opinion was largely against the police in this case and I believe that a high-level public statement is needed to explain what the police role and responsibility is in the event of a public assault.
While the police ignored violent assault cases they acted zealously against four individuals for staging a peaceful request for transparency and accountability at Robinson Road. The quartet were interrogated and almost charged in court though they harmed no one nor violated any Singapore law.
They also thought it was necessary to question some of those who showed solidarity for mrbrown, the columnist sacked by the tabloid TODAY for his satirical article on the government policies, by appearing in brown t-shirt outside Singapore's City Hall underground station.
Have the police become a tool of the executive?
Have they forgotten that they are supposed to be independent and their first and foremost duty is to uphold law and order in the nation?
posted by locky2ky at 6:00 PM
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