Burma Police Force

Myanmar Police Force

The Union of Myanmar is geographically situated in Southeast Asia between latitudes 09cated between Bangladesh and Thailand, with India and China to the north, Myanmar covers an area of about 675,000 sq km (over 260,000 sq mi). Myanmar is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia. The capital and largest city is Yangon, an important trade centre is Mandalay located in central Myanmar.

My heroes are those who risk their lives every day to protect our world and make it a better place - police, firefighters and members of our armed forces.
Sidney Sheldon

Myanmar Police Forces is an important role of the country’s administration and national security. The Myanmar Police instituted in 1961 under Ministry of Home Affairs. It was join informally with Tatmadaw to defend the country in 1995. Myanmar is divided into seven states and seven regions has its own local police forces with Headquarters located in the administrative capital Nay Pyi Taw.

Component organizations of the Ministry of Home Affairs:

The police and customs administration are key elements for enforcing the rule of law and ensuring the security of persons and property in compliance with democratic rules through prevention which involves social players, and enforcement.
Early post-Independence periods, Myanmar polices’ roles and capabilities were divided civil and military police forces. Each State and Regional Police Force include four components:
• Office of the Commander of the State and Divisional Police Force
• Office of the Commander of the District Police Force
• Office of the Commander of the Township Police Force
• Police Stations

There are four special departments in the MPF, namely the Criminal Investigation Department, Special Branch, Railways Police and City Development Police Force.

Under the four Special Departments:
• Myanmar Traffic Police
• Maritime Police force
• Aviation Police Force
• Financial Investigation force
• Anti-human Trafficking Police Force
• Tourist Security Police Force
• Oil Field Security Police Force
• Forestry Security Police Force
• High Way Police Force
The CID maintains a central Directorate in Nay Pyi Taw and has two regional branches, one in Yangon and one in Mandalay. The Railways Police Force is responsible for law and order on trains and in railway-related premises. The City Development Police Force Units is in Yangon and Mandalay. MPF is directly involved in the operation of two agencies that are the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) and the Department against Transnational Crime (DATC). MPF has a specialist counter-terrorist unit that train and equip along the lines of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) units. There are additional three agencies under MPF that are border Patrol Police (border control force), Sea Patrol Police and Central Institute of Public Training.

Other Major Departments are:
• Aviation Police Department
• Coastal and River Patrol Police Department
• Highway Partrol Police Department
• Tourist Police Department

There are three main Training Centres. The State and Regional Police Forces have their own training centres for refresher and junior. And, there are sixteen Police Battalions to carry out general security duties under the command of Battalion Control Command. The Battalion Commandants are Police Lieutenant Colonels. As the populace of the cities including Yangon and Mandalay have been increased day after day, problems on social, economy and politics are risen up that could lead to emergence of civil unrest and sabotage. It is necessary to prevent from destruction and harassment, VIP and project factories and workshops, security of diplomats and their embassies. Seven of these Police Battalions are situated in the Yangon.

Myanmar Police Force mandate:
• Prevent, detect and investigate crime;
• Enforce and maintain law and order;
• Suppress criminal activity related to narcotic drugs;
• Preserve community peace and tranquillity;
• Carry out community welfare activities;
• Ensure public security.

Myanmar Police Force Structure:
• Headquarters;
• Seven state police forces;
• Seven regional police forces;
• Special forces;
• Training centres;
• Reserved units;
• Police battalions.

Myanmar Police Force Special Forces:
• Criminal Investigation;
• Special Intelligence (Special Branch);
• Railways Police;
• City Development Police.

The largest of Myanmar’s administrative divisions is Shan State where is bordering with China, Laos, Thailand. Myanmar Police Force created a Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control through the principles of law enforcement, supply elimination and demand reduction. Each squadron has the specific mission of preventing, suppressing and combating the trafficking and consumption of drugs.
Township Police, Ministry of Home Affairs sustains law and order, and provides recommendations for businesses to transfer land and obtain construction permits and business operating licenses. Large companies that operate in remote areas may engage the services of local police and military to protest the assets. Public providers of security such as the police tend to lack the accountability mechanisms usually found in strong states. They often resort to corrupt practices in order to supplement their inadequate salaries. So, EU mentioned in their report that MPF need to be modernised and practices on their functioning brought in line with international standards. In some of the areas, international organisations can provide assistance to MPF as kind of training, new equipment, technical and improve the force’s public image. Examples: The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has helped the MPF to prepare a guide to the proper treatment of children caught up in the criminal justice system. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has provided training for the MPF, mainly related to narcotics eradication and the prevention of transnational crime. Transparency and accountability are also key to consolidating democratic reforms and strengthening checks and balances. MPF’s role is significant in this reform. Myanmar reform process will depend on a more democratic and civilianised political system which permits the MPF to operate freely and with international standards, without interference from the government, the parliament or the armed forces.
Myanmar Police have a lot of moral code but people have never believed to the Myanmar police forces - a key factor is that the people always see negatively to the police because of their corruption. Police should be tried to get the trust of public in the reform and obey the rule of law. Improvements in access to justice will be limited without police reform. The police force will need to become more service-oriented and better informed about people’s rights in order to keep up with the evolving legal environment. The police and border forces need to accountable for their role in protecting human rights. If they can lean international practices, in all areas that are key to democratic governance as well as to poverty reduction and inclusive growth. The MPF still need to be more efficient and more effective. Myanmar’s security forces have influenced from the upper level.
Myanmar Police Force have a lot of challenges in the reform process. When they solve some of cases in the violence areas, they always input emotion and forced to the people. People expected police stations can provide more information faster than others. Currently, the MPF is emphasising a ‘service-oriented approach’ and giving a high priority to issues like accountability, transparency and respect for human rights. There is a new MPF code of conduct. A little has changed but the MPF still having from a lack of resources, abuses still occur, corruption remains a problem. Mindsets are hard to change. Also, given the pressures on government resources, the force cannot implement many reforms without external assist. The International Committee of the Red Cross has also advised on modern policing standards. MPF officers have attended courses at the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation and the Bangkok-based International Law Enforcement Academy. The EU has run useful pilot courses in community policing, crowd management and media relations.
According to the past observation, the police force must follow the international standards of human rights and take accountability and try to get the public trust. And also, they need to develop their system to achieve public safety by cooperation with general administration department in the township level. They should deeply think about ‘what is the role of the police force in the country’s Public Sector reform process?’ Between people and police at the township level that reform should be implemented to be direct impact on interactions. If they neglect the people expect, they still meet poor reputation that makes them cautious when they solve the problems. The government should be considered police reform at both practical and political levels.

Reference:
Andrew Selth: Regional Outlook Paper “Police Reform in Burma (Myanmar)” - 2013
Kyi Pyar Chit Saw and Mathew Arnold: “Administering the State in Myanmar”- 2014 http://www.myanmarpoliceforce.org