Police Ethics Guidelines in Effect

The code of ethics, a new law in policing to be maintained during service has been put into effect. The law dictates that the guidelines must be followed once published in the Gazette. The law is in effect as of today.

The code of ethics determines the fundamentals, limits, and actions of police officers.

The code states that all police officers are mandated to obey the code, and uphold the behavioral and ethical regulations dictated in the code.

According to the law, the tenets of Islam and the Constitution of Maldives must be obeyed. Obligations to the people must be fulfilled without discrimination, and the safety of all must be ensured. Additionally, police must not take part in corruption or any act of extortion.

As per the code of ethics, officers must not commit or encourage any acts such as sexual harassment and must attempt to stop such acts.

As stated previously in police regulations, officers are not allowed to act in any way that can be assumed to be influenced by their support towards a certain political ideology.

Police officers are also mandated to protect and uphold the rights of any person under observation, or any suspect under investigation. Threatening to use unnecessary force or acts of prejudice towards people under police observation is forbidden.

Additionally, the code of ethics stated that officers must not obtain the personal information of any person without any legal justification.

Police officers are responsible for reporting any of their peers who violate the code of ethics. Appropriate action must be taken against the offending officer after considering the gravity of the situation.

To revise their knowledge of the guidelines, all officers are required to take part in an annual examination.