Members of the public can demand to see authority cards when stopped by the police, said Selangor Police Chief Tun
Hisan Tun Hamzah.
He said under the law, they had the right to demand to see the authority cards of police to verify they are genuine police personnel.
Tun Hisan, however, stressed that the cases of impersonating policemen in the state to extort money or commit other crimes was under control.
“Criminals nowadays are using various tactics to hoodwink the public, namely by impersonating as policemen. People should demand to see their authority cards if they suspect something amiss,” he told reporters after meeting with members of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) and the Civil Defence Department at the Selangor police contingent headquarters near here, today.
Tun Hisan said this when responding to a news report today that police had arrested four suspects, including two accomplices, on Tuesday for impersonating police officers to rob and rape a woman in Klang.
One of the accomplices is a Rela member who had lent his handcuffs to the impersonators.
Tun Hisan said public could easily identify genuine police officers as they are of good character, and wear tidy uniforms compared to impersonators.
He urged the public to report cases of impersonators to the police.
Meanwhile, Selangor Rela director, Brigadier-General Khairi Mohd Alwee, said Rela members are usually not equipped with handcuffs.
“Our members are not supposed to be equipped with handcuffs as it is considered a weapon,” he said, adding that members were only given a baton-like stick.
— Bernama