ANALYSIS, Dec 27 — Recent reports of falling crime rates were a boost for the police, but the weekend’s arrest of two policemen for allegedly assaulting and robbing 34-year-old Chia Buang Hing has damaged public confidence in the cops once again.

Chia’s nightmare was triggered after he was stopped at a police roadblock last week for driving with an expired road tax.

For nearly a year now the Home Ministry has been thinking out of the box, implementing numerous measures from mobile beat bases, to policemen on bicycle and motorcycles and even horses to combat crime in general and street crime in particular.

The redeployment of 6,751 police personnel from desk duty to patrolling has succeeded in improving the presence of the police in crime hotspot areas.

In addition, stationing police vans and police mini-buses at 50 crime hotspots has ebbed crime.

Crime drop rates have been impressive and show that the measures taken are working, however bad apples in the force are derailing efforts.

Chia’s horrific and nightmarish experience on Dec 18 shows that while beating crime is a major priority, the government must also combat a key missing element — respect for the law and human rights within the force.

In this respect the old question of who polices the police force is more relevant now than ever with the government fighting for its political life by convincing the rakyat that it is capable reform.

The police force probably rank the lowest in the perception battle going by the numerous adverse comments in the blogs, Internet news providers and Facebook over the Chia Buang Hing incident.

Even The Star published a horrific, full face photograph of Chia that showed the injuries to his eyes and face.

To be fair the police acted fast, probably because of angry media coverage, and organised a line-up of over 30 policemen in Petaling Jaya over the festive weekend and Chia easily picked out the four cops he claimed were involved.

Nothing less than swift action will absolve the police force and repair its public image — for this and   other similar cases including several “trigger happy” incidences have ruined the police’s desire to be regarded as strong, effective and friendly.

The knee jerk reaction to reported cases of abuse, corruption and abuse of power is no longer sufficient to promote a friendly, strong and competent police force that the people deserve.

Shamed by the media the police react with an investigation and probably a prosecution. Not every case is reported or taken up by the mainstream media and shaming the police into action every time an abuse happens is not practical.

An investigation and eventual punishment, if there is a case, of any abuse should be automatic and not media driven.

Therefore it is relevant to revisit the provision that has been on the table for a long time with no political will to implement — an independent police oversight committee to police the police force.

Having an independent oversight committee to watch over the police and curb abuses is the most relevant way to bring the black sheep in the force to heel.

There is no other lasting, effective and permanent solution to this issue of abuse of power by elements in the uniformed police force.

It has worked for many democratic societies in the world and it should work for us too. What we lack is the political gumption to make it happen.