6 doubts regarding the authority of Malaysia’s “polis bantuan”
Auxiliary police, or polis bantuan as they are known in Malay, have been an integral aspect in maintaining public security as a law enforcement agency alongside their Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) colleagues in everything from government-linked and private corporations to public transit.
How much do you know about the duties these men and women play in crime prevention and law enforcement? There are an estimated 4,000 active auxiliary police personnel stationed in more than 70 agencies in the Klang Valley alone.
Malay Mail gets additional information about this assistance police unit from Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Azman Ayob of the Kuala Lumpur Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK).
1. Who are the auxiliary police?
According to Part IX of the Police Act, auxiliary police officers are considered full-time employees of the organisations or businesses they support. They are authorised to carry out policing responsibilities in a certain area under the supervision of the auxiliary police officer’s serving agency under Section 47 of the same Act. They can be identified from other police officers by wearing a Polis Bantuan badge that may have their employer’s emblem on the left sleeve of their uniform.
2. What do they typically do and where are they stationed?
They typically work for financial institutions, mass transit companies, corporations, government-affiliated organisations, shopping centres, and public utilities. Crowd control, stop and search rights, asset protection and escort for their employer, crime prevention, and making arrests as needed are among their duties.
3. What distinguishes polis bantuan from those covered by the RMP?
Under the RMP, auxiliary police are given the same authority as regular police. The one caveat is that they can only use these powers inside the confines of the organisations that they are employed for. Their role in manning barricades and participating in motorised patrols is limited. In a cooperative operation, they must also follow orders from RMP officials.
4. How can I become a police auxiliary officer?
The Royal Malaysian Police has established age, physical, citizenship, and academic requirements for those interested in becoming auxiliary officers (RMP). Prior to being appointed, they must first be Malaysian and at least 18 years old. Candidates must weigh at least 50 kg and measure at least 162 cm in height for males, and at least 45 kg and 152 cm for women. For placements in either private or government-affiliated organisations, they also need to pass a minimum of six subjects, including History and Bahasa Malaysia. Selected candidates go through nine weeks of fundamental training to become police recruits.
5. When is a crime one that could result in an auxiliary police officer making an arrest?
People in the public who disobey the commands of an auxiliary police officer who is on duty could also face criminal charges under Section 186 of the Penal Code for interfering with a public servant’s performance of their responsibilities. As long as the appropriate authorities are notified right away after an arrest, citizen arrests are still permitted.
6. Why do we require an auxiliary police force?
When traditional law enforcement appears to be unsuccessful, auxiliary police step in to fill the gap. With the written consent of the state police head, their jurisdiction may extend outside the boundaries of their employers’ properties. The creation of auxiliary police also reduces reliance on current RMP personnel for routine law enforcement tasks.
