ALTHOUGH police have not made any substantial progress in locating Indira Gandhi’s daughter, Prasana, there seem to be a lot of information coming through after a reward of RM10,000 was offered for information on the case.

Unfortunately, there are many unscrupulous people out there who will try their luck to claim the reward with false information. The means to verify all these information will be quite limited in the hands of civilians especially if it involves cross border investigations.

Indira and her family should tread with care as they may be taken for a ride. It is actually better to leave it officially to the police, however sceptical she may be of their efforts.

Nevertheless, it is disheartening to note that the police are unable to trace the whereabouts of Indira’s daughter till today. It would seem that she has vanished into thin air! This is unacceptable by any standards of modern policing.

The police have always taken great pride in all their roles and functions as enshrined in the Police Act. They have, in all the battles against crime and keeping the peace, never been solely dependent on voluntary information from the public.

Professional policing requires expertise in the procurement and gathering of intelligence. It is a key function of the police. Detection of crime and connecting facts, is the product of effective procurement and gathering of intelligence.

Procurement of intelligence by itself is a skill and trait that is mastered by the police, especially by those attached to all operational units linked to covert and overt operations.

It encompasses all modes of obtaining the required information without the direct participation of the public. It is this part of policing that makes up, neutralises and compensates for the lack of voluntary public information. This segment of police expertise sets it apart from other professions.

Most civilians think they know policing but in reality there is more than what meets the eye in the craft of real police work. It is risky but it comes with the terrain and is expertly handled by experienced police personnel.

Missing persons must be traced, witnesses must be produced, perpetrators, suspects, etc must be brought consistently to the halls of the criminal justice system as this is the hallmark of police work.

This consistency not only strikes fear into would be criminals and keeps the peace but it also boosts public confidence in the force. Expert police craft demands that they never succumb to admitting that they are incapable of carrying out their roles and functions in any situation.

It is a trait that is acquired with experience, confidence and knowledge. The police must constantly be seen to deliver what is expected of them, however difficult their task may be.

Having all the channels to obtain relevant information be it voluntary or otherwise, the inability to trace and produce a witness that has been dealt with by the courts, is hard to accept.

Not only the police are accountable, but those representing these untraceable witnesses during proceedings should shoulder part of the blame.

Internally, the police are always pressured to be all knowing and all seeing. The top cops demanded that, of all those who served in the intelligence divisions. We seem to have settled for less over the years.

In the words of a senior police officer I once served under, “if the police do not know, then who is supposed to know?!”

We do not expect the men in blue to solve every matter before them but there must be consistency in delivering the goods in high profile cases, especially those of public interest. This will ensure that public confidence and trust is maintained at all times and the police stay relevant.

I hope it is not asking too much of Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun to find Indira’s daughter before he retires. – February 27, 2019.

* G. Selva reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.