Implementation of the Maldives Police Service Strategic Plan

Maldives Police ServiceVI. Conclusion and RecommendationsThe implementation of the Strategic Plan 2007-2011 by the Maldives police has been partial. Asthis is the Maldives police’s first strategic plan, it sought to lay down the foundation of a strong,democratic and professional police institution capable of responding effectively to communityneeds. Five years since, the result is disappointing. Of the 54 projects enlisted in the 2007 Plan,only about 12 were implemented, of which the most notable ones include forensics, investigationenhancement and crime management. The service made significant strides in overcoming thetrust deficit in the community – the predominant feeling in the streets of Malé today is that thepolice are far better than earlier. The police is more accessible to the public and is willing to shareinformation with it. The Human Rights Commission, for instance, stated that it was quite pleasedwith the cooperation extended by the Police Commissioner to the Commission. 34 Moreover, newcentres and procedures were developed to professionalise policing. The Forensic Unit is a case inpoint. Traffic enforcement has also seen improvements.However, systemic reforms remain far less satisfactory. For instance, the practice of holdingconsultations, both within the police organisation and with the community at large, forms thebedrock of any responsive, transparent service. But consultations were either weak or nonexistent.Consequently, there appeared to be a distinct disconnect between the community’sexpectations and police priorities, as was demonstrated in the previous chapter. Perhaps thisdisconnect can be conceded to some extent in the first Strategic Plan as teething problems. Buteven in its second Strategic Plan 2011-2013 this disconnect was evident during discussions, andit is a worrying sign. This goes to show that despite striving towards the vision of a communityorientedpolice service, the tendency is still to act as a “force” imposed on the people. Publicconsultations remain few and far between and require a coherent policy.Further, the fact that the plans are drafted by the MPS alone, and any evaluation therefore willbe conducted by the police itself, does not inspire much confidence. Since the objective of thePlan is to make policing more responsive to community needs and aspirations, it follows that theentire drafting, implementation and evaluation processes should be carried out in conjunctionwith community leaders and representatives.RecommendationsStrategic policing plans are important to strengthen democratic oversight and management ofthe Maldives police. Democracy in the Maldives is in its fledgling stage; most institutions, such asparliament, judiciary, the media, security and law enforcement agencies as well as civil societyare grappling with their reformed roles under a multiparty democracy. There are also severalcompeting demands before these institutions without the resources to always meet them. Thefoundations laid at this stage will form the bedrock of the country’s future. To this end, thefollowing set of recommendations aim to contribute to the process of strengthening democraticgovernance within the Maldives police.34Interview with Ms Jehan and Mr Ahmed, Members, Human Rights Commission of the Maldives, 6 September 2011.36Strategic Plan 2007-2011: An Analysis