ISKANDAR PUTERI (Bernama): Over 500 of the total of 791 police stations throughout the country are currently facing a shortage of personnel said Bukit Aman Management Department director Datuk Seri Asri Yusoff.
He said most of the police stations were currently headed by a sergeant who was responsible as the stations' officer in charge (OCS).
A police station is required to have at least 35 personnel for it to operate smoothly, and should be led by an officer, at the very least, with the rank of Deputy Superintendent (DSP), he said.
“However, what is happening now is 65% of the total 791 police stations (roughly 514 stations) across the country face staff shortages,” said Asri, adding that police stations in Sabah and Sarawak had only five personnel or less.
“Most of the police stations are also headed by officers with the rank of sub-inspectors to sergeants,” he told reporters after the opening of the Tanjung Kupang police station here on Wednesday (Nov 21).
Also present were Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd and Iskandar Puteri district police chief ACP Dzulkhairi Mukhtar.
He said this when commenting on the factors contributing to the rising number of policemen opting for early retirement.
The lengthy shift of more than eight hours had also played a role in the trend, he said.
He said Bukit Aman was currently studying the modern policing initiatives implemented at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail and the Brickfields police stations in Kuala Lumpur to address the issue of shortage of police personnel.
The modern policing initiative requires at least 35 personnel at a police station led by a DSP. - Bernama
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
