The case of Omar Badgie should not be taken lightly. This should not be because it was followed by public disorder. It is in the public eye because of the claims made by the government that security sector reform has taken place and community policing is the order of the day.
The case of Omar Badgie deals with the key pillars of law enforcement, that is, when and how to arrest a suspect, what degree of force is required to do so, how to conduct first aid when a suspect is in danger and what to do when a suspect dies in police custody.
The step taken by Police Commissioner Kujabi to accompany the family to go before a magistrate for an order to be given to conduct a postmortem indicates an approach consonant with community policing. The case is a litmus test of what the future holds for our law enforcement agencies.
The objective of security reform is to transform it from a police force into a police service. The colonialists needed a police force to keep their subjects under colonial domination. Now The Gambia needs a police service that protects lives and properties and peaceful existence of the citizenry with their involvement and cooperation.
It is now time to measure every act against such aspirations. One thing however should be abundantly clear, that Gambia has benefitted immensely from peace keeping missions. Hence the information that is flashed in the headlines of media houses on the conduct of our security services will have great impact on how they are seen globally. The country needs protective security service and not a coercive security force.
