Officers who fail to show results “cannot stay in the force forever”: Ihusan

Homeland Minister Ali Ihusan has said that police officers who cannot deliver results to the public “cannot remain in the police service forever.”

Speaking to PSM on the sidelines of the "Local Policing Conference", which began yesterday to assess ways to strengthen and improve police operations, Ihusan said the public expects visible outcomes and the police must meet those expectations.

He said officers have been clearly told that they will not be able to remain in the service indefinitely if they fail to perform, even after being given advice, retraining opportunities and sufficient time.

“After advice and retraining, if an officer still remains a non-performer, they cannot always stay here. People are expecting results. We want to show those results,” he said.

The minister outlined several areas where the police must show improvement including faster investigations, stronger police presence on the streets, improved accountability, a higher sense of safety and security among the public, expanded police operations and reduced administrative burdens.

“These are many things we expect to see from the police,” Ihusan said, adding that the conference will also determine how police-strengthening plans will be implemented.

The conference, held at Paradise Island Resort, is attended entirely by investigative officers and commanders, with 170 officers from across the country participating.

A preparatory meeting for the event was held last Thursday, during which Ihusan spoke candidly about internal issues within the service. He said the police need a “hard reset,” noting that trust in the institution is deteriorating rapidly.

He asserted that the police system has “failed” and highlighted the heavy financial burden the force places on the state. Despite being one of the highest-budgeted institutions, he said the police have not met expectations.

The minister noted that the government’s two years in office represent 40 percent of its mandate, yet the police have been unable to fulfill their responsibilities even with an annual budget of MVR 2.8 billion, an amount equivalent to the country’s total income in 2002.