KUALA LUMPUR: It is important to improve the bond of trust between the police and the public, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The Alliance for a Safe Community chairman said Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain's statement on the matter was very timely and appropriate.
"Mutual trust between the police and the public will certainly generate more confidence in the public's ability to report and relay information to the police," said Lee.
"It will also lead to a more cordial and better working relationship between the police and the public," he added when contacted on Sunday (March 10).
Lee said that the police need the public's full cooperation when it comes to intelligence-gathering and added that the bonds of trust must be strong for this reason.
He also called on the police to update victims or complainants consistently on the progress of an investigation.
"Keeping the victims informed of an investigation's progress is essential to build trust and confidence," said Lee.
He added that the police should have a system for informing the victim or complainant of the progress of their case through the various stages.
Lee said this includes the investigation, the completion of the investigation and the case being brought to court.
"However, the public should not expect miracles as not all cases can be solved speedily. Thus, the level of understanding should be high as well," he said.
On Saturday (March 9), Comm Mohd Shuhaily said that the police must do all they can to improve the public's trust in them.
He said that this is especially so for those in the CID, adding that protecting the confidentiality of those who lodged police reports should be a priority.
