Citizen police: A step to reform the police force

The reputation of the force took a significant hit during the civil demonstrations and violence that the country witnessed in July 2024. Photo: Rajib Dhar

Bangladesh has a police strength of over 200,000 for a population of approximately 170 million, which means there is one officer for every 850 citizens. 

Many of these officers were neither involved nor compelled to be involved in the civil demonstrations and violence that the country witnessed in July 2024. The casualty rate among service personnel was high, and the reputation of the force took a significant hit.

As a result, an unprecedented strike by the police personnel disrupted civil life across the country. In response, young adults expressed their patriotism by stepping in to maintain order, gaining firsthand experience of the challenges of the job, serving in the sun or remaining awake at night to guard. 

Older citizens supported these volunteers by providing food and drinks, fostering a renewed respect for those who serve under difficult conditions.

To address the current challenges, a proposal to reform the police force suggests integrating the day-to-day services within city governments. This could reduce the burden on the regular police force and improve services through a pay-as-you-deliver model. 

The Bangladesh Police could then concentrate on training and supporting local government wings with the right strategies and execution. The core group of the national police could specialise in controlling mob violence with minimal casualties.

The services provided by local police might include citizen advocacy, emergency helplines, police clearance for documents, traffic management, accident and rescue coordination, and surveillance. 

These services could be rendered by a new 'Citizen Police' force employed by local governments such as city corporations, municipalities, and upazilas. This new local police force would be distinguished by different uniforms and would build strong relationships with the communities they serve.

They could have new uniforms like a white shirt with grey pants for thana police and a sea green shirt with olive pants for traffic police, and may be placed in a respectable position in the minds of citizens by their deeds.

All actions of the Citizen Police would be available online for monitoring by the Police Headquarters and would be subject to central police intervention when necessary. 

Their placement would be non-transferable, allowing them to become familiar with their communities over time. 

Promotions, dismissals, and salary increments would be based on key performance indicators, including attendance, punctuality, discipline, and feedback from citizens. A larger portion of the salary may be dependent on quantified service rendered. 

For any new recruitment at the entry level (with no option of lateral), candidates must be based on merit only, should not have any political affiliation, and need to have 'no objection' certificates from the Police Headquarters.

A few positions may be reserved for appointment by the government, which will automatically become dysfunctional with the change of regime. They would be trained by the Police Headquarters' human resource management department. The Citizen Police can have self-defence small weapons but nothing lethal.

The Citizen Police are proposed to be absorbed from the following current police with clean records and managed by the Local Government: City Metropolitan Police ('76 Dhaka 50PS, '78 Chattagram 16PS, '18 Gazipur 8PS, '86 Khulna 8PS, '92 Rajshahi 12PS, '06 Sylhet 6PS, '09 Barisal 8PS, '18 Rangpur 6PS), 114 PS and other approximately 500 PS personnel, including Tourist Police (TPB)-  special branch responsible for investigating crimes against tourists and providing security at tourist zones like Cox's Bazar, CHT, Sylhet, the Sunderbans, Kuakata, etc, and the Industrial Police (IPB)- a specialised unit responsible for providing security in industrial zones in Dhaka, Chottogram, Narayanganj, and Gazipur. 

If the need arises to verify goods (not banned items) transportation, instead of security service, the Highway Police may be shifted under customs authority. 

In the case of organised or specialised crimes involving various locations, the Citizen Police would forward the cases to the Police Headquarters to be handled by different wings like the Crime Branch or Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC)- a specialised branch formed to tackle terrorism and transnational crime.

In case of any mob demonstration, the local police will seek support from the headquarters, who may deploy the Armed Police Battalion (APBn), which is a specialised combat unit with 11 battalions under its command. 

The APBn may also be deployed from the headquarters to secure the thanas, which may be renamed as Citizen Support Centres. Current Airport APBn or such Key Point Installation protections may be shifted to CTTC or SPBn.

The Special Security and Protection Battalion (SPBn) is a specialised unit (700 personnel in each of the two battalions) since 2011, providing protection to the president, prime minister, ministers, visiting foreign dignitaries, and any person designated as VIP by the government including offices, residences, and programme venues. It works alongside SSF (Special Security Force), SB (Special Branch), DMP (Dhaka Metropolitan Police), and PGR (President Guard Regiment). 

Military personnel or SPBn should withdraw their roles to avoid conflict of responsibility. Alternatively, military personnel may be employed in SPBn with no opportunity to return to the armed forces. 

Besides National Security Intelligence (NSI), for intelligence and investigation requirements, the following are working at present:

- The Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) is a specialised unit that performs criminal investigations and digital forensic services. They investigate homicides, crimes against property (dacoity, robbery, theft, and fraud cases, etc), sexual assaults, arson, cyber-crime, and other crimes.

- The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is a specialised intelligence and investigation wing. Personnel attached to this wing essentially work in plain clothes.
- The Special Branch (SB) is an intelligence agency that assesses security threats and conducts surveillance, immigration control, and VVIP protection.

- The Detective Branch (DB) is a specialised unit that investigates sensitive cases, but according to Human Rights Watch, 70% of extrajudicial deaths involving the police occur here.

It's high time to justify the existence of so many wings.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is an anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit. This elite force consists of members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, BGB, and Ansar. It was formed on 26 March 2004, in a special situation. 

By now, due to involvement in some extrajudicial affairs, the reputation of the force is maligned even by international media. 

Moreover, it impacts our military personnel who are contributing to UN Peacekeeping. If required, military personnel can join any unit of the police with early retirement and serve the civil implementation administration.

Personnel Information Management System, ICT and logistics department, Supply Chain Management, etc at the headquarters would continue their services. 

All training from Sardah Police Academy, Police Staff College, SB School of Investigation-Uttara, Detective Training School-Malibagh etc should be a separate cost centre under the headquarters and they need to be self-sustained.

When it is a question of regaining trust, no law can do it but the deeds of its human beings themselves and in this case, the police. They must be given space to say no to unlawful commands while maintaining the chain of command, and should not be compelled to stage drama for extrajudicial affairs etc.

If the citizen service is separated and starts fresh with the right orientation and motivation for service providing, with the right remuneration, which may not be by raising salaries but through providing quarters, rations, schooling for children etc, it is expected that it would become an example of a model government office.

M Musleh Uz Zaman is an ICT entrepreneur and a social service veteran. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.