Too big a head for the body

Korea can no longer hold its head high for being a safe country after the rush of killing rampages and threats. A stabbing threat was posted under a police officer’s name on an online forum. Random crimes have continued popping up since the stabbing rampage in Sillim Station in Seoul last month. Police Commissioner-General Yoon Hee-keun in a press conference vowed that the 140,000 police officers will commit themselves to ensuring the safety of the public, announcing a “special” response to the unprecedented crimes. Armored vehicles and special forces have been stationed in popular urban locations.

Despite the heightened police protection, they could not stop a man from beating a female teacher on her way to work with brass knuckles, ultimately killing her, and sexually assaulting her on a hiking trail in Sillim-dong around noon last Thursday. The crime was committed not far from the subway station where a stabbing rampage took place not long ago. Police were unable to stop a brutal murder committed in broad daylight even though they were nearby.

Not all crimes can be stopped. But the current police structure raises red flags. According to data obtained by People Power Party Rep. Chung Woo-taik, the quota for lower-level officers under the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency totals 9,535, but their actual number is 4,909. Sergeant-level field officers are also lacking, not to mention police officers dispatched to precincts across the country. In contrast, superintendent-grade officers outnumber their quota of 2,020, at 5,059. Lieutenant-grade officers also overwhelm their quota of 3,821, at 8,456. The top tier in the police hierarchy is oversized whereas the corporals and field officers are far too short.

The police command should be blamed for condoning the disproportionate police structure. Many officers moved to the investigative department from field duty after much of the powers shifted away from the prosecution to the police under the past administration. As many as 1,009 in the police squad were relocated to investigative departments in the first half.

President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered fundamental measures to enhance police capabilities to prevent these kinds of crimes. But the capability to maintain order and safety cannot be grown overnight. Police must break the stereotypical order and role so that higher-level officers can compensate for the shortage of those in the field. The police must focus more on public safety than on criminal investigations.

More CCTVs should be installed in blind spots, and the public must be told what they should do in an emergency. Preventing self-defense weapons from turning into crime weapons is also an issue that must be addressed immediately. The police must come with specific actions to meet the slogan on the National Police Agency website that promises it will create a safe community that the public can trust.