Small wonder the early-morning police programme on national radio amplified the note by broadcasting it several times as if to tell the general public to be on its guard. The police boss was equally irked by the new attitude of senior police officials who do not deem it necessary, in spite of clear service requirements, to be appropriately dressed within the precincts of the national police headquarters. And to be appropriately dressed, in police parlance, means wearing the required outfit. The irate police chief observed with astonishment, that right under his nose, underlings, even of the highest grades in the force, paraded themselves in two or three-piece suits or simply in mufti in scandalous disregard for existing legislation.
These two concerns also have an import on the overall assessment ordinary people make of the police services. In the days of yore, the mere appearance of a policeman was sufficient to instil fear and bring erring citizens back to reason. This was so because the police statutorily wore their uniforms for all public appearances and when they did not, the public knew such a category belonged to the Criminal Investigation Department or the secret service. The fact that the first shock observed by Mr Mbarga Nguele came from his own closest collaborators is quite indicative of the depth of the muddle he will have to clear in order to restore the heavily-tarnished image of the police forces. The question of carrying a police uniform, at first sight, looks like a banal issue. But, as it is often said, citizens respect the police uniform; and not necessarily the individual wearing it, because one could wear the uniform but, through crooked behaviour, be undeserving of being a policeman or woman.
The other issue decried by the police boss is the practice by which senior officials of the force display service-related objects in very conspicuous places in their cars as a way of evading official checks. Very often, they leave objects that can be anything ranging from service weapons to overcoats or uniforms on which are attached their ranks. This practice was initially the preserve of the higher rungs of the force, but lately, almost everybody along the hierarchy who can afford a car or a motorcycle displays some object on a visible part of the vehicle or motorcycle. These objects have virtually replaced number plates and, of course, very little or no attention at all is paid to the other compulsory documents required of any vehicle that plies the highway. The practice is so widespread that even relatives wanting to take long trips and who do not have the adequate car documents do not hesitate to use service paraphernalia from relatives which they place on their vehicles in order to avoid controls. And when it is known that those charged with traffic or highway control are usually from the lower rungs of the police hierarchy, the trick works well because no junior officer would dare bring a senior to book; all in the name of service discipline.
In these two situations, the higher echelons of the police are in default. Examples are supposed to come from above, hence the need for these ranking officials to remind themselves that they have to set the example; not only for their junior colleagues, but for the citizens they are expected to protect and control. It has been said, and very often so, that he who seeks equity goes with clean hands.
