An encouraging part of the reform plan, therefore, is to prevent the police from being used politically by governments in future. That will mean that the force will be structurally and administratively so designed as to be able to conduct its work purely along professional lines. In other words, the law and not politicians in office will be the basis of police functions. Another part of the plan is for the police chief, to be known formally as chief of police, or CoP, to exercise executive and financial authority over his department. To what degree such an exercise of authority will impinge on the powers of the home ministry is an issue that needs detailed deliberation. Additionally, the provision of summary trials of police personnel against whom allegations of wrongdoing are made will require every guarantee that such action will be taken in a foolproof manner and those who make complaints are under no fear that they will be harassed. Beyond these, the proposals for the constitution of a national police commission peopled by, among others, lawmakers across bipartisan lines, as well as a police complaints commission and readjustments in police salaries and benefits, promise to bring the department on a level with police systems in other parts of the world.

We have always made it clear that the police force needs to be freed of political and all other kinds of malevolent influence. If that goal can now be achieved through adoption of the suggested changes, the country will surely stand to gain a good deal. However, it is our belief that these proposed changes must be placed before the public in the interest of a healthy, open discussion on their merits or otherwise. The police are an image of the state. Those who constitute the state, namely, the people, must therefore have a say in how the police administration should be run in future.