A Monday meeting between Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Interior Minister Magdy Abdel Ghafar hopes to tackle several measures that will be put in place in order to improve relations between people and the police, especially given recent reports about alleged police torture and abuse of power.
The measures include carrying out presidential instructions over legislative amendments to improve relations between people and the police, which will be discussed at the cabinet meeting after the next one. They also include periodic follow-ups on police stations and concluding police station development in two and a half years.
Ismail said citizens’ rights must be respected, however, the police apparatus cannot be penalized for individuals committing crimes.
Abdel Ghafar said the amendments will apply to all police ranks, adding that these amendments seek to adjust relations between police and the people in a way that guarantees the preservation of citizens' rights.
The minister also said that he met Sunday with the father of the victim killed by a police officer on Thursday in Darb al-Ahmar to deliver a message to citizens over the importance of trusting police. He added that most police officers are honorable and continue to fight terrorism in Sinai and elsewhere.
The ministry, according to Abdel Ghaffar, is re-drafting the rules on arming police officers, especially after being targeted by terrorist groups, which makes arming them imperative but under new rules.
A plan is required to be drawn to train police officers and develop services rendered to citizens, he said, adding that a report over car accidents on highways will be issued within 48 hours in order to work on reducing them.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
