PUBLIC Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan says he supports any covert operation to catch policemen involved in illegal activities.His comments come days after the Acting Police Chief, David Ramnarine has sounded the warning against ranks who might be bent on committing crimes.

Ramnarine has recently railed against police ranks’ poor attitude toward the public, their request for bribes, unauthorised roadblocks and illegal traffic stops among others. Ramjattan said he is not only in support of the police hierarchy’s revived stance against bad policing, but it was a direct instruction coming from his office.  Ramjattan said that his office has received numerous complaints against the police, while his ministerial colleagues have also spoken to him about police treatment toward members of their respective constituents.

“…it was an instruction coming out of the Ministry (Public Security) to them (police heads). They are the ones with the expertise and should be ensuring the policy that has always been there is followed.”

The minister said the message has been clearly conveyed to the Police Commissioner the need to ensure the “assertiveness” of senior police officers, “to make it known that rogue police in the force is not something that will be promoted.”

Ramjattan noted however that it has proven difficult to pick out the seemingly bad eggs in the local enforcement arm since victims of bad policing are reluctant to assist in fingering culprits. “We have told people with statements to come forward, but they are not. We receive complaints and we ask people to wear body cameras to catch police officers when they are collecting bribes, but they are afraid. I don’t know what they are afraid of,” the minister retorted.

He said that officers collecting bribes can be caught with marked cash and body cameras, “like those used in the United States can video ranks asking for brides.” He said sting operations used to be used to catch rogue police officers, but this is not the case currently and expressed, “more support for such (sting) operations.”

Ramjattan said many people have given up on the police, but that cannot be the route of his ministry, and noted that all will be done to return professionalism to the force.

At various public and police oriented forums, Ramnarine has used the opportunity to address his ranks on their attitude toward the media, saying that media personnel should be a friend since they help to keep the country’s checks and balances.

He has spoken extensively about which ranks can hold road blocks and how it must be done and which ranks are authorised to stop traffic on official police business.

Ramnarine has spoken about collecting bribes and demanding money from the public. He had called this act, “disgusting, shameful and humiliating.” The Assistant Commissioner also spoke about the police attitude toward the police, which included their actions toward domestic abuse reports and rape among others.

The senior officer encouraged the public to be bold and speak out against injustices met out to them by the police.

It was recently mentioned by Ramnarine that it is not an offence for citizens to photograph or video police ranks, especially while on public duties. Citizens have been encouraged in the past to gather as much evidence possible to make their case clear, should they feel aggrieved by any police ranks. This includes taking the names of police’s ranks that are mandated to wear their name badges, the police vehicle number and photo and video evidence if possible.