CAIRO - The disappearance of the police on January 28 from the streets across the country remains a big mystery. However, efforts to unravel the growing puzzle are overshadowed by appeals from citizens to redeploy the police as soon as possible. Its sudden and total disappearance gave rise to acts of vandalism and arson on Government buildings and banks. Hundreds of police stations were torched by angry citizens who allegedly sought to avenge themselves of three decades of injustice and oppression. Armed gangs also stormed shopping malls and gold stores and caused panic. Fearful citizens had to form their own committees to protect their homes and possessions, especially after prison inmates were set free. Volunteers also took it upon themselves to direct the traffic. Attempting to find a way out of this state of lawlessness and chaos, the press interviewed a number of veteran security experts. Former police General Ezz-Eddin el-Beshbishi said that the redeployment of the police on Friday ran smoothly as a new relationship between them and the public was established. In an interview with Al-Youm Al-Sabea independent newspaper, the police general added that the proposed relationship should be inspired by cordiality and friendship. Referring to the public anger, he indicated that the police digressed from their main tasks when corruption became the rule among high-ranking officers. El-Beshbishi adamantly held ex-Minister of Interior Habib el-Adly accountable for the disgrace caused to the police establishment. El-Adly is standing trial in connection with money-laundering, abuse of power extortion. “El-Adly surrounded himself with corrupt generals and gave them powerful positions,” el-Beshbishi said. “As a result, an insurmountable gulf was opened between police and people.” According to his analysis, the widening gulf led eventually to the tragic clash and violence during and after the revolution. El-Beshbishi suggested that police officers and generals who had been expelled by el-Adly for various reasons, were qualified to help rebuild the relationship between police and people. He indicated that the expulsion of his colleagues was the result of their refusal to follow el-Adly's outrageous orders and instructions. He invited the media to use their influential role and draw the nation's attention to the importance of creating a new relationship in this respect. He suggested the media should abandon their sensational coverage of crimes where policemen were suspects. “The misguided and sensational media coverage (before January 25) where a police officer was a crime suspect had marred the relationship between people and police. Therefore the media (including television, press and radio) should provide programmes that could help ordinary citizens get a better understanding of policemen's responsibilities and crucial role in maintaining peace and order,” he said. “Citizens should fully understand that it is the task of the police to arrest ruthless elements and law-breakers.” To eliminate bribery, he continued, the police should get their salaries increased. His colleague General Mahmoud el-Gohari urged citizens to tolerate the troubled past of some police officers. But he noted that the public's confidence in the police would only be restored if corrupt elements in the Ministry of Interior were arrested and tried in court.
