Cops crushed to death

The heart-rending scene of two cops crying over their colleagues' death has touched the human within us. On March 3, a truck loaded with drugs ran over and killed two police officers of Shibganj police station while they were patrolling Chapainawabganj-Sonamasjid Land Port highway. We praise their bravery in chasing down criminals, and condole their untimely death. The bereaved families should get adequate support from the government. Exemplary punishment should be meted out to the criminals involved in this case.

This unfortunate incident also raises the important issue of protecting police from occupational hazards which is fundamental to good operational policing.  Due to the nature of their job, law enforcers usually run a high risk of being attacked, wounded or even killed by criminals. There is also an alarming trend of attack on police by extremist groups. It is high time that the police authority takes adequate measures to reduce these risks. Special protection efforts need to be designed around activities that pose the greatest safety risks such as fighting extremists and other organised criminal groups. They need to update the safety arrangements to keep pace with the ever-changing nature of dangers police face in their line of duty. Another potentially productive avenue is creating safety awareness among the police force. They need to be trained on occupational safety issues on a regular basis.