Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Editorials: Deploying secret marshals
One interesting observation following the decision of top police officials in the region to field so-called secret marshals inside passenger utility vehicles to deter robberies is the seeming lack of opposition against it.
An obvious reason is that it was an offshoot to the killing of college student Carmela Cabañog by a robber, an incident that many Cebuanos condemn.
Besides, people are so desperate for solutions to petty crimes that have victimized mostly ordinary folk that a good number of them even endorsed the actions of the “vigilantes” who have already felled more than a hundred suspected criminals.
The situation, therefore, is unlike that of decades ago when even the then dictator Ferdinand Marcos dropped the same plan because of widespread opposition against it.
Deterrence
But this does not mean the police should not subject the move to deeper scrutiny to ensure that it will be effective and will not pose a bigger danger to the riding public.
Secret marshals can deter the commission of robberies more in the psychological and less in the physical sense; meaning, they can only be effective if they instill in robbers the worry that cops may be riding a vehicle they target and thus back off.
The deterrence can’t be considered in the physical sense mainly because, on one side, robbers can choose the time and
place to strike while on the other, the police cannot possibly be on all passenger vehicles all the time considering the lack of personnel.
Dangers
And there’s the other kind of fear, one not felt by robbers but by passengers wary that in case of a confrontation between robbers and secret marshals, violence may erupt and thus pose a bigger danger to innocent people.
What about corruption in the service, or the practice of some cops using robbers as “assets,” giving rise to the possibility that robbers may be informed in advance of the extent of the operation of secret marshals and their identities, negating the plan’s effect?
Thus, given the weaknesses of the plan and the dangers it poses, the deployment of field marshals cannot be done in
haphazard manner but must be well thought of and executed.
Choice, compliment
Policemen chosen to become secret marshals, for example, must be honest, dedicated, well trained, experienced in crisis situations and able to make quick and correct decisions, especially during confrontations.
Finally, the move must be com-plimented by other measures, like the conduct of surprise mobile checkpoints, increased police visibility, etc., which would ensure that robbers won’t conveniently shift to targets the police are not giving attention to.
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