There was mass unrest in the US recently over police brutality that claimed the life of George Floyd, an African American by ethnicity. Floyd’s death opened up a veritable can of worms mostly to do with sustained police brutality specifically directed against people of colour over a period of time by White officers. A barrage of such cases said to have taken place over many years, even leading to death, rose to the surface overnight. This then sparked a nationwide “Black Lives Matter” campaign which has since gained mass support from both Blacks as well as Whites in the US. In our own little neck of the woods, police brutality has remained a serious issue for many years, especially during the war when minority communities were often victimised. There was a palpable sense of déjà vu when the US erupted in protest, with Sri Lanka having been there and done that, decades ago. However, with the end of the war, such issues have largely dissipated. But that is not to say it is nonexistent, because that’s certainly not the case; although no longer on the same scale or proportion or having anything to do with targeted ethnic profiling, it exists in the form of rank indiscipline and “cops on contract” playing “hora-police”. Last week’s arrest of 12 officers attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau barely raised any eyebrows among the citizenry and only confirmed their worst fears that the drug lords were hand in glove with dirty cops who actually served as the couriers and errand boys of the drug bosses. There is no point in busting drug rings if the confiscated goods make its way back to the market through corrupt cops. It’s an endless cycle where what comes in from the front door goes out the back. Therefore, if the Government is serious about its desire to rid the country of the drug menace, it must first look inward and purge the Police of corrupt elements. This purge, if and when it happens, needs to be combined with a similar operation involving the Department of Prisons which is also quite notorious among the public for its level of corruption. Even last week, mobile phones had been discovered from the cell of a drug kingpin being held in Boossa. These events have led to a wholesale reshuffle of the Police top brass in charge of narcotics detection, with swift changes made from the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge, downwards. Such decisive action on the part of the Government points to a determination not seen in recent times to get to the root of the problem. One can only hope that what has been started in earnest will continue unabated without the intervention of powerful personalities as is usually the case, resulting in the status quo returning to square one in next to no time. Although many past leaders have paid lip service to the eradication of the drug menace, no one has shown the kind of resolve to walk the talk as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who for a welcome change has let actual action do the talking. Needless to say, policing, be it in the US or Sri Lanka, needs to see a radical change of attitude in order to conform to the evolving times. Although the equipment and resources used for policing have seen radical change, police tactics and methods have largely remained the same. At the core of any modernisation drive should be a firm resolve to change the mindset of officers from acting on post-event crime, as in the past, to pre-event crime, reflecting the changing times. In other words, policing must change from allowing crimes to take place and then catching criminals to preventing criminal activity in the first place. It is a well-known fact that our local Police force would rather let a crime take place and then book the perpetrator than be proactive and prevent a crime from taking place. This is usually the modus operandi to invariably pocket a bribe in return for leniency pertaining to the crime committed. A classic example is the conduct of the Traffic Police who are known to hide behind trees and lamp posts on main roads in order to catch drivers running a red light or crossing a line. The fact of the matter is that if the Police’s presence is visible, no one will break the law in the first place, but that does not fill khaki pockets, so it is always the hora-police method that is in vogue. The only way out of this morass is to bring in systemic change, one step at a time, starting from the very top. In this regard, the Covid-19 pandemic could be a blessing in disguise, as it provides the ideal backdrop to instil a sense of discipline among both the public as well as police rank and file. It has been well noted that Sri Lanka already has in place the legislation it needs to maintain proper law and order. What is preventing that from happening is ignorance of the law, its selective implementation, most notably due to financial inducements or political interference, and in some cases, blatant disregard for the law. Today, the ordinary citizen has to keep his mouth shut in the face of unlawful acts committed by the high and mighty for obvious reasons. Therefore, if all people are to be treated equally, the concept of might is right should become one that is alien to the Police. As a first step to putting the house in order, it may be a good idea for law enforcement officers from the rank of Assistant Superintendent (ASP) upwards to annually declare their assets. The same should be applied to prison officials as well. It is well-known that the main reason for road indiscipline is because some cops own private buses and fleets of three-wheelers. In addition, some are known to own mansions and luxury apartments. Although there is a rotational policy for police officers for the very purpose of preventing corruption, it is a policy that is usually observed in the breach. Another way to minimise corruption is to automate as many aspects of policing as possible, using smart technology and CCTV. This could be used for traffic violations in the city almost immediately, as the necessary infrastructure is already in place. However, what is of utmost importance in order to cleanse the long arm of the law, is to stop politicians from using the Police as their personal plaything. Whether the current or the next dispensation that is to be elected in exactly a month’s time will have the will to follow through with the talk, only time will tell. Until then, let’s hope for the best.