IGP: All SOPs under review, 'zero' custodial deaths targeted

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has ordered all department directors to review the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in various areas of police work.

Khalid said the new order also includes the handling of detainees and bringing down the number of death-in-custody cases to zero.

At least two deaths in custody have been reported under Khalid's watch since he took office on May 17, including the now high-profile murder case of N. Dhamendran.

The 2009 case of A. Kugan continues to haunt Khalid, as he was the Selangor police chief when Kugan was found dead.

"My hope is to reduce the number of incidents and fully eradicate any sort of deaths in custody," said Khalid.

He said that all matters related to the welfare of detainees will be given careful attention by the new special task force aimed at preventing further deaths in custody. This taskforce was announced on May 28 and headed by Khalid himself.

“The task force will be looking into various aspects and focusing on the welfare of detainees. Firstly we will review the SOPs within lock-ups and also matters related to food and health,” he said adding they needed to do this.

He added police will work with other relevant authorities in this matter.

“Even when we escort convicts, the prisons and courts are involved, all these need to be synchronised with the various departments. On SOPs that are not suitable, we need to improve them,” he said.

Asked about previous similar efforts to install cameras in interrogation rooms, Khalid said that it was one of the areas being looked at but he did not elaborate further.

He said this was part of efforts to better align current practices with regulations and policies, as well as to improve them.

“Among the areas we need to review are medical checkups by medical officers. Even though this is provided under lock-up laws, but it seems that this is not taken seriously by the various related departments or our own men," said Khalid.

Khalid said the police will be recommending for a centralised lock-ups that are “more modern” and “more in line with the requirements at this age” compared to the old ones.

He said that these lock-ups would involve more monitoring efforts as well focusing on improving safety and cleanliness as well.

Asked if this would require additional budgets from the government, Khalid said that it would not, unless the upgrades involved increasing CCTV cameras as well as upgrading them.

On other areas of police work, Khalid said that SOPs would be reviewed, and this has been informed to all his directors.

“We have our regulations in everything that we do, there are specific SOPs. What we need to look at is whether our officers adhere to them.

“If they go against the SOPs, we will reprimand them, and if it is more serious we will take disciplinary action,” said Khalid

Asked if he felt that demands of more democratic and human rights compromised police work; Khalid said he did not think so.

“For me, as we step into this changing era, we need to move with the times. What we see now is that human rights are being given more attention and we in the police department need to work in line with that.

"That is what society demands now and we cannot be left behind. I am sure that if we want to be a modern police force, one that is of international standards, we need to follow the current changes, and among, which include guidelines on human rights.”