Despite Spokesperson Claim, Police Identification Is Mandatory In Mozambique

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Despite Spokesperson Claim, Police Identification Is Mandatory In Mozambique

9:06 CAT | 21 Jan 2016

Jornal Notícias / File

Contrary to a claim made on Tuesday by Inácio Dina, spokesperson for the General Command of the Mozambican police, it is a legal obligation for policemen on duty to wear a name badge identifying them.

Cited in the Maputo daily “Noticias”, Dina claimed the use of such a badge was not obligatory, and citizens cannot use the absence of identification as a reason for not obeying orders given by a police officer.

Dina claimed that the lack of a badge does not deprive a policeman of his authority as a representative of state power. For Dina, the identification badge was just “an accessory”, like a truncheon or a gun.

He lamented the attitude of citizens who demand to see police identification before obeying individuals who claim to be police officers. Dina said it is citizens who must identify themselves ro policemen and not the other way round.

The law, however, is not on Dina’s side. A decree of 2001, on the norms that state functionaries must follow, declares that all state functionaries must wear identification. It even states that the badge should show the emblem or logotype of the Republic, the sector of work, and the name, number and photograph of the functionary.

Dina appeared unaware of this norm, and of the basic right of citizens to know who they are talking to.

Since the police force itself has frequently recognized that there are officers who behave in an unprofessional, discourteous and even criminal manner, a demand that all policemen should identify themselves is far from unreasonable.

Furthermore, it is difficult for a citizen to complain against police behaviour, if he is unable to identify the police officer in question.

Dina had said that, if an unidentified policeman extorts money from a citizen, the victim should immediately denounce this crime. Normally, policemen work in brigades, he said, so the citizen approached by an unidentified officer should be able to appeal to his superior, Dina claimed.

Source: AIM