THE Inspector General of Police (IGP) Simon Sirro, has directed police officers to strictly avoid excessive force and brutal actions against citizens and instead do so in enforcement of legal norms.
Mr Sirro made the call in Dar es Salaam on Friday when officiating at the fourth graduation ceremony for police officer graduates from four police force academies in the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Commissioner Police of Operations and Training DCP Liberatus Sabas, Mr Sirro said there were many complains over police misconduct when interacting with citizens, a move that painted a bad image on the country’s police force.
The IGP told the police graduates that it was their responsibility to avoid brutal actions or excessive force when interacting with the citizens, except when circumstances warrant the moves.
“There is a time when a police officer is required to use excessive force but such force should only be applied where there is need for that—for instance when a person interacting with the police has a gun and is intimidating, the police officer has excessive force too,” he said.
In addition, the IGP asked the graduates to avoid wrangling with citizens and framing charges unlawfully against them, and instead discharge their duties by adhering to their professional ethics, codes of conduct and police force rules.
The IGP also cautioned them against involving themselves in fraudulent deeds and instead manifest high integrity for the betterment of the country.
DCP Sabas asked the management of the police force to come up with a better plan that will ensure that the graduates and other police officers in the country are given policing work according to their professional qualities.
He said new security threats, especially those related to technological fields entailed the involvement of competent officers.
In another development, the Vice Chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania, Professor Elifas Bisanda, said the police force in Tanzania and Africa in general should consider equipping students with high performance to join the police force.
