The Ministry of Public Security has installed more boxes in central Vientiane in which members of the public can deposit letters of complaint concerning inappropriate activities by the police.
This addition follows the success of the pilot project earlier this year, which involved just two boxes in the capital.
Deputy Director of the Inspection Department, Police Lieutenant Colonel Khamphasith Bongmounthong, said yesterday that boxes were now available in Sikhottabong, Chanthabouly, Sisattanak and Xaysettha districts, giving people more opportunity to make their complaints known to security officials without fear of retribution, as they are not required to give their names.
Now people who want to express their opinions and make suggestions can put their letters into the boxes, which are outside 13 police stations, Lieutenant Colonel Khamphasith said.
Police stations in major provinces such as Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Champassak are also reported to have installed the boxes, he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Khamphasith said the Minister of Public Security, Mr Thongbanh Sengarphone, had issued an order in May, which stated that all police stations around the nation must complete installation of boxes outside their offices by the end of June.
“We are encouraging all police stations to install the boxes. Some of them have already done so and we believe there will soon be boxes around the country in accordance with our plan,” he said.
“All grievances are welcome,” he said. “The ministry wants to hear people's opinions on our security forces, and we will use their grievances and comments to make our security system stronger.”
After boxes were made available in Vientiane earlier this year, many local residents voiced their concerns about traffic police who acted inappropriately while questioning drivers who did not have vehicle licences or driving licences in their possession.
“People complained that police were rude and said they should be more courteous when asking drivers to produce documents,” Lieutenant Colonel Khamphasith said.
He said that after many complaints about the same problem, the inspection department had ordered immediate investigations into the issue. He added that the ministry had urged traffic police to be polite in their dealings with the public and to remain patient in times of difficulty, because the police are the servants of the public, not their bosses.
Another common complaint was that police were always slow in arriving to deal with gang fights. People said police should come sooner when summoned to the scene of a fight, so as to limit injuries and damage to property.
In response to these complaints, Lieutenant Colonel Khamphasith said that the ministry would try to break up gangs so that they would not be able to start fights in the first place. “We are conducting investigations into the leaders of these gangs and have warned them not to engage in fighting,” he said.
He said that written complaints had given the ministry substantive reasons to investigate members of the police force who did not carry out their duties as they should. As the result of investigations, some had been removed from their positions.
The Ministry of Finance and other ministries have also shown an interest in making similar boxes where the public can lodge grievances.
yeah i don't really get what the picture's trying to say cos they don't have the pic of the box so is the posted refers to the "corruption" thing? i think so?
i don't know what's the helmet is for when police don't even used it for sometimes i saw it!!! and the thing is the helmet policy just help the police to earn an extra money no offending or what, but that is what I SEE!!
I can't believe it that people lived in Vientiane did not go out there and take the picture of the box and post here. Maybe they're afraid that the cop is going to arrest them doing that.
well, i agree to have more boxes for public to give comments for police who perfome inappropriate way....however, make sure that people can comfortably post the comments to the boxes without fear of police and make sure those comments will be delivered to the investigation department. the case of putting more boxes for comment is to slove only for problem when occur.
ithink we should build up system to prevent such inapporpriate behavier of police not to happen....it means that the Police school need to introduce more subjects and moral for police such as good manner (service)to public, to tourist(hospitality), friendly to public and ready to slove problems for public.
in case the police perform inappropriate way...the serious punishment should be put on that police officers....so other police officers will not repeat.
Ok, so no proof the box exists. But even if there are boxes all it means is that the government wants to 'look' like it is giving the people more of a role in political administration. The whole point of the box is that it allows the government to choose what to respond to, it is not the choice of the people.
