Police celebrate 217 years of dedicated service

KUALA LUMPUR: The police force celebrates its 217th anniversary today, and over the course of its extensive existence, the Sang Saka Biru squad has encountered numerous challenges and hardships to ensure peace and harmony in the country.

Since the inception of a modern and systematic policing system when the Charter of Justice was introduced in Penang on March 25, 1807, the force has undergone significant evolution, not only in its image and duties but also in effectively overcoming security challenges.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain highlighted the force’s commitment to enhancing the intellectual aptitude and image of its personnel through courses, seminars and continuous training in areas such as law, sociology, psychology, criminal analysis and professional ethics.

“We are constantly adapting to face current challenges, including by leveraging technology to enhance service delivery and maintain public order. This involves the use of body cameras, data analytics platforms and mobile apps such as Volunteer Smartphone Patrol to facilitate crime reporting and emergency response.

“Such technology is important to increase public trust in the force and enable the police to address various negative accusations related to integrity issues,“he said.

Razarudin also emphasised the pressing need for police to deal with the behaviour of certain personnel who fail to adhere to the law and who exhibit irresponsible conduct on duty.

He expressed concern that such issues have eroded public trust in security forces, despite only a small number of personnel being at fault.

To address the matter, he consistently issues warnings and reminders to personnel to avoid behaviour that could tarnish their image and result in disciplinary or legal action.

Razarudin said the police always strive to build strong relationships of trust and cooperation with the local community by implementing initiatives such as security awareness programmes, dialogue sessions and collaborative projects.

“This approach could project a positive image of the police force as a knowledgeable, integrity-driven team committed to maintaining the safety and harmony of the community, in line with this year’s Police Day celebration theme, ‘Polis dan Masyarakat Berpisah Tiada’ (No Separation between Police and Society).”

He said the police force is providing its personnel with continuous training and educational programmes on cultural sensitivity, human rights and effective communication techniques to ensure they interact with the community in a positive and ethical manner.

“We also encourage community participation through public safety programmes.”