MELAKA: Police must adhere to all standard operating procedures(SOPs) on lockup management to reduce the number of custodial deaths, says Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standard Compliance Department.
Its director, Comm Datuk Seri Azri Ahmad said those responsible for managing and investigating detainees must abide by the existing SOPs to prevent any untoward incidents.
"There were 25 deaths in police custody registered last year and most of the victims were drug addicts with underlying health complications while the cause of deaths for some detainees are still pending as the laboratory analysis outcomes are still not out," he said after witnessing the handing over ceremony between Melaka police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Zainol Samah and Senior Asst Comm Datuk Md Nazri Zawawi at the Melaka police headquarters at Bukit Beruang here, on Tuesday (Jan 2).
DCP Zainol retired after 38 years serving the force and SAC Md Nazri is assuming the position as the acting Melaka police chief.
Comm Azri noted that custodial deaths have shown a drastic decline since such cases were investigated by the Criminal Investigation Unit on Deaths in Custody under the purview of the department.
"Custodial death cases were no longer being investigated by the investigating officer at the district police headquarters (IPD) or the lockups where the incident was reported since the unit was established in 2022," he said.
Comm Azri said that in 2020, 33 custodial deaths were recorded and 46 in 2021 while the figure declined to 22 cases in 2022.
"However, there was an increase of three deaths in 2024 compared to 22 cases recorded in 2023," he said.
Separately, Comm Azri said a total of 147 police officers and personnel across the country have been dismissed from service for misconduct last year where 64 of them lost their jobs due to drug-related offences followed by 56 for breaches related to integrity, 24 faced dismissal following criminal convictions while three others were dismissed in connection with corruption-related offences.
He also revealed that two officers, one with the rank of Superintendent, had been demoted for engaging in illicit intimate relationships and practising polygamy without the necessary approvals.
Comm Azri added that 1957 disciplinary investigation files and 1373 disciplinary inquiry files were opened between Jan to Nov of last year where a total of 1212 officers had been subjected to disciplinary action, an increase of 26 compared to 1238 in 2023.
