Acting Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed has urged the public to reach out and share encounters with officers of the police service.
Commissioner Hameed made the assertion in response to a local feedback shared via twitter on Saturday by a social media activist.
As such, Aishath Jennifer wrote that police officers visit her neighborhood to inspect a group of youngsters whom they “pin against the wall” before proceeding to search them. Writing that the officers come as often as “a pill prescribed thrice a day”, Jennifer wrote that the officers interrogate the youngsters “very rudely”.
“Is there no other way for this?” asked the social media activist, tagging Commissioner Hameed in her tweet.
Hameed’s response followed shortly after, urging the public to reach out to the “Neighborhood Support Officer” via their hotline, 9408151 to share their experiences on police approach and behavior.
Highlighting that the matter has been taken to the relevant officer, the Police Commissioner stated that the officer will engage with the police units to “make improvement”.
This matter has been escalated to the concerned officer. You could also reach out to your Neighbourhood Support Officer on 9408151 and share this experience of police’ approach and behaviour. The officer will engage with the police units to make improvements.
— Mohamed Hameed (@M_Hameedh) December 22, 2018
The “Neighborhood Support Officer”, introduced on the 16th of December and enforced on the 19th, has divided the “Greater Male’ Area” into eight neighborhoods. As such, capital city Male’ was divided into four neighborhoods, Hulhumale’ into three and Villimale into one single zone.
Under the services provided, officers will be visiting households and local shops in their respective neighborhoods to inquire on general information about the zones. The program aims at providing swift solutions to the crimes and offenses being committed in the Greater Male’ Area.
Officers are also to provide information on safety and reducing offenses to the residents of all neighborhoods. They will also be providing protection to whistleblowers as well as passing on information of occurrences in areas to the Intelligence Department in order to reach a swift solution.
Last week, Police Commissioner Hameed had revealed the institute’s decision to launch an online platform to submit public complaints or feedback to “better the police institution”.
Stating that it is important that the police institute learns from the public this way, so that they can further strengthen the institution, Hameed went on to assert that authorities are currently working to make the police institutes more dependable.
