Thursday 27 December 2012

Local icons to help fight crime

District police chiefs have been ordered to identify local icons who can be roped in to help promote the police force and their activities, especially on crime prevention, at the grassroots.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said those selected as police ambassadors would be conferred honorary ranks after they had attended a basic course on police and relevant laws.

"We have already appointed ambassadors at the federal level, including community leaders, artistes and sportsmen, and are now focusing on the district level," he said after giving honorary ranks to five recipients here yesterday.

They were Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who was conferred a Assistant Commissioner (Honorary), while Superintendent (Honoraray) was accorded to Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, Datuk Johny Ching Ewe Gee, Dr T. Alagaratnam Sivarajah and Ranjit Singh. Among those appointed as police ambassadors were film director Datuk Yusof Haslam and crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim.

Ismail said those selected as police ambassadors would learn various skills at the Police training centre (Pulapol), including firearm handling and citizen's arrest.

"They have to spend at least two weeks at Pulapol so that they will have basic knowledge on police and their role to prevent crime."

Such an approach, he said, was in line with police efforts to further improve the people's perception towards the force apart from increasing the public's participation in crime prevention activities.

Ismail also refuted claims that serious crime cases were on the rise due to the many incidents involving armed suspects in the past few months. He said such cases were under control and police had well-trained officers to handle them.

Earlier, in his speech, Ismail urged public and private agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals to support the police in their efforts to provide a peaceful and safe environment in the country.
He said police acknowledged the contributions from the Police Volunteer Reserves (PVR) the membership of which would be increased from 5,659 to 15,659.

The increase could be made after the government allocated RM70 million for the recruitment of another 10,000 PVRs under the 2013 Budget.

Ismail also opened the PVR national annual general meeting and received vehicles donated by private agencies to the police and MCPF.

Lee, when met later, said more companies should donate vehicles which could be used by MCPF and police to help fight crime.

He said at present, only Pahang MCPF and police had received such vehicles under an effort initiated by Pahang MCPF chairman Datuk Johnny Ching Ewe Gee.

"The vehicles will make our job easier especially in patrolling crime-prone areas," he said after the handing over of 16 vehicles from private companies to Pahang police and MCPF.

Among the vehicles were four Toyota Hilux pick-up trucks and three-wheeled Spyder roadsters.
Lee also said the donation received by the foundation had enabled it to establish 5,500 Crime Prevention Clubs at schools nationwide.

Source : NewStraitsTimes

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