Rewards for Arrests
Police Withdraw Controversial Incentive System
It is shocking that police planned to introduce an incentive system to encourage officers to arrest more street demonstrators who resort to violence. Faced with a mounting backlash from rights activists and opposition lawmakers, the Seoul Metropolitan Policy Agency withdrew the plan to offer cash rewards to policemen for their apprehension of violent demonstrators.
The agency must have felt it necessary to mobilize all possible means, including cash rewards, to crack down on violent rallies, especially after massive demonstrations against U.S beef imports in recent months. But it is nonsense that police have only focused on arresting violent demonstrators, without first guaranteeing freedoms of assembly and speech.
People were shocked at the news Wednesday that police will get 20,000 won each for arresting one violent demonstrator, and an additional 50,000 won if the collar results in criminal charges. Besides, the police agency planned to introduce a ``mileage" merit system to give credit to officers arresting more law-breaking demonstrators.
Critics claimed that such incentives might lead to an indiscriminate search to suppress demonstrations and infringe on human rights. The Korean office of Amnesty International said, ``It's an international embarrassment that police consider protesters objects for hunting." Internet users flooded the policy agency's Web site with messages criticizing the plan.
As seen in the cases of anti-U.S. beef rallies, protesters have often become violent in response to brutal police crackdowns on peaceful demonstrations. There were many reports that police handled many innocent demonstrators roughly, especially young female students, even though they did not resist any police action. Of course, there are heated debates over who is responsible for the violence during street demonstrations.
It is sad to see violent scenes of riot police and demonstrators fighting each other, resulting in many casualties on both sides. However, it is often difficult to tell who are the perpetrators and who the victims. In this situation, cash rewards for police could lead to only achievement-oriented manhunt for demonstrators ― whether they are law-breakers or not.
It is imperative that law enforcement authorities make the utmost effort to ensure freedoms of assembly and speech and make sure that violence does not find its way to street demonstrations. People are also required to create a new culture to eliminate violence during rallies.