Salah laku polis, penyelia juga perlu dipertanggungjawab, kata pakar kriminologi

Police accountability should extend beyond lower-ranking officers to include whistleblowers and management, according to criminologist Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid. In a recent incident, eight police officers, including seven on various IPD units and one in Brickfields IPD, were detained on suspicion of involvement in illicit water activities in Taman Keramat.

While the case cannot be viewed solely as an individual issue due to factors such as surroundings, workplace culture, and whistleblower shortcomings, the capabilities of internal inspection mechanisms have not yet proven the preventive system effective. However, risk-based oversight through monitoring, audit, and early detection of misconduct at the unit level that is more exposed to misconduct is needed.

Additionally, the "culture of silence" within the unit needs to be addressed by establishing safe reporting channels and protecting members from retaliation. The loyalty of fellow officers should not supersede professional accountability. Meanwhile, P Sundramoorthy from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) suggests conducting a comprehensive internal inquiry to assess whether early signs of misconduct can be detected and whether the reporting mechanism functions effectively.

He emphasizes that peer pressure, group pressure, rationalization, and normalization of misconduct can push members to commit violations when they see such actions not resulting in clear consequences. "Political integrity cannot be built solely through punishment. The PDRM needs to strengthen risk-based early warning systems, while officers at the unit level must be more proactive, as integrity does not solely belong to the purview of JIPS."