Better logistics needed to fight crime

I REFER to your recent report “Police force under a lot of pressure” ( The Star, Sept 24) and would like to urge the Government to seriously look into the logistics of the police for them to be more effective, while at the same time raising their morale and providing better security for those on duty.

Much of the equipment provided is obsolete, especially the vehicles.

Having been active as a volunteer police officer, I have my own experiences as to the state of the logistics that the police have to make good with.

Sitting in Land Rover that needs to be pushed before the engine can start, sitting on Land Rover’s broken seats and at times having to wait for hours for transport are just a few illustrations of the actual scenario.

I have used my Proton Perdana to transport equipment and four personnel for road blocks when the transport that we waited for failed to arrive.

Many police personnel, especially all the volunteer police officers, have to use their own motorcycles for crime prevention rounds.

Bear in mind, the volunteer police officers are not paid for the petrol and maintenance of their motorcycles used in the patrolling.

I even had to buy a second-hand motorcycle for my patrol duties.

These are small sacrifices that we voluntarily and happily make as our small contribution towards national security.

But sadly, many fail to understand the sacrifices we make and yet continually bash the force with no constructive or positive contributions.

Poor functional logistics are a setback at times.

I have witnessed how a man on a 250cc motorcycle challenged a policeman on a 110cc old motorcycle and fled within seconds of being pursued.

Besides transportation, other logistics need to be looked into.

These include weapons, protective gear, communication equipment and investigative tools.

It is also recommended that the Government look into facilities in police stations to ensure the comfort of the personnel on duty.

I trust that the police will be happy to provide details of their wish list for Budget 2014.

My deepest condolences to the family of Cpl Zal-Asri Abd Somad who was killed while fighting crime.

I am sure of our fellow men in blue’s determination to fight crime is as strong as ever and that the Government will do its best to equip our men to effectively carry out their duties diligently. LOH KOK CHAI Balakong, Selangor