Il-Ħsieb: The services should protect the citizen

In recent years I have been observing more cases related to uniformed officers making use of abusive or violent behaviour.

The situation is deteriorating and the cases are becoming more frequent and violent in type.

We had cases involving women asking for assistance and held against their will to perform sexual acts.

Members of the armed forces participating in drive byes and killing individuals.

Officers filmed beating a motorist.

Police officers allegedly attacking homeless foreigners and taking them to remote places.

The uniformed services shouldn’t be there to instigate fear. They should be there to protect all citizens.

This is the real terror that citizens fear. The fear that those that protect them would be the same source of terror.

Those that deem that wearing a uniform gives the right to put another individual’s life at risk. Those that believe that they’re above the law. Should not be wearing the uniform.

It’s about time that action is taken. No excuse can ever justify any form of abuse by a uniformed officer.

The services should protect the citizen. The individual should feel protected by the same services.

Acting worse than criminals and being a menace to people’s safety is not one of the tasks in their job description.