Reasons for Lack of Trust in the Police

What this session covered

The session addressed the reasons for a lack of public trust in the police, set against the broader premise that a functioning democracy rests on its institutions, among them the legislature, the judiciary, the executive and the police. The principal speaker characterised the police as an institution that comes into contact with almost every area of public life, and suggested that its standing therefore bears directly on how citizens experience the state.

Much of the discussion concerned the conditions said to weaken that trust. These included the influence of the political executive over the police, exercised in particular through control of transfers, postings and promotions by state home departments; a perceived absence of effective accountability; and the persistence of corruption. The discussion also pointed to the limited implementation of directions on police reform issued by the Supreme Court, and to incomplete follow-through on recommendations concerning women's safety, as factors that had allowed long-standing problems to continue.

Conducted as an interactive online session with contributions from several participants, the discussion also touched on countervailing developments. The role of technology — forensic capability, means of communication and improved mobility for field personnel — was raised as an aid to policing, while its limitations were acknowledged. The place of women within the police, and the kinds of duties to which they are assigned, was also noted. These observations were offered as points of discussion rather than as settled conclusions.

Key points raised

• The session framed policing as one of several institutions on which a democracy depends, alongside the legislature, judiciary and executive.
• Political control over transfers, postings and promotions through state home departments was discussed as a constraint on independent policing.
• A perceived lack of accountability and the persistence of corruption were cited among the reasons for low public trust.
• The limited implementation of Supreme Court directions on police reform, and of recommendations on women's safety, was raised.
• Technology — forensic capacity, communications and mobility for field personnel — was discussed as an aid to policing with acknowledged limitations.
• The role and deployment of women within the police was also noted.