KUALA LUMPUR: POLICEMEN caught in the culture of being forced to find sponsors to please their superiors should not be afraid to lodge complaints with the federal police Integrity and Standard Compliance Department (ISCD).
ISCD director Datuk Abdul Ghafar Rajab said top officers who abused power by demanding lower-ranking policemen pay for their expenses faced strict actions, including demotion and dismissal.
He also gave an assurance that those who lodged complaints would have their identities kept a secret.
He said ISCD took disciplinary matters seriously, adding that last year, 208 policemen were dismissed for various offences.
“This is not a small number. As I have said before, ISCD will never compromise with any wrongdoing, and no one will be protected if they are guilty.
“If you commit an offence, then you have to face the consequences,” he told the New Straits Times in a phone interview yesterday.
Ghafar said the department had received cases where complaints were lodged by lower-ranking policemen against their superiors for abuse of power.
Citing an example, Ghafar said there was an investigation against an officer who was reported for allegedly ordering his men to buy things for him.
He said ISCD had initiated investigations into the case under Rule 37 of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993, which is a move to initiate dismissal or demotion, if the officer was found guilty.
He said policemen who wished to lodge complaints with the ISCD could do so by going to the department’s office, making a call to its Complaints Management hotline, or by sending in an anonymous letter.
Anonymous reports, however, must have enough details on the alleged wrongdoing, so that ISCD investigators could initiate a probe and make a case.
Once a report is received, Ghafar said, the investigating officer would gather evidence, interview witnesses and take statements from the accused. Some cases would also see ISCD monitoring the suspect to make their case.
He said once a report was proven to be true, ISCD would initiate internal “prosecution” process, where the suspect would be called to defend himself.
If one is found guilty, the disciplinary action taken depends on the seriousness of the offence.
“Offences that are of serious nature would see (the offender’s) dismissal from the force, or at least a demotion.
“Punishments for less serious cases include warning, fine of not more than a week’s salary and delay in pay rise, among others.”
Ghafar said even the lightest punishment in the form of an official warning would bring consequences, where the personnel would not be entitled to bonus and promotion for one year.
The NST, in its exclusive report on Sunday, revealed that the practice of asking “sponsors” from lower-ranking policemen had been a culture in the force.
This, according to sources, had led to some having to turn to graft to meet demands from their superiors.