COMMENT | Custodial death unit or not, cops take instructions from above

COMMENT | Some years back, during a discussion organised by the Society for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham), I had a tiff with some high-ranking police officers present there.

I was of the opinion that police investigations were instruction-oriented because in similar situations, the police can take two very different actions and it all boils down to what instruction they got from their superior.

The police officers at the meeting were trying to impress me by saying that they are investigation-oriented and do what the law allows them to do. But one can’t blame them because they are duty-bound to follow instructions from above as required from them.

Of course, retired police personnel may say a bit more about what actually goes on.

I was amused when...