Random stop rule set to avoid backlash

By Kim Rahn

People suspected of carrying a weapon, tailing somebody, peeping into another person’s home or running away after watching policemen will be subject to random stops, according to police.

The National Police Agency has set up guidelines for conducting random stops, a policy recently resumed following a string of vicious attacks against minors, women and passers-by.

Police prepared the instructions because the random questioning policy prompted a backlash from civil rights groups that voiced concern over infringements of human rights — the reason the measure was virtually suspended in 2010.

“We need to conduct random stops in order to prevent felonies. But we also have to minimize unnecessary disputes over human rights violations, so we’ve come up with the guidelines,” an official of the agency said.

He said policemen won’t stop citizens for questioning “anytime” and “anywhere:” random stops will be mainly conducted at nighttime in areas which could be vulnerable to crime such as shabby residential districts with low quality security systems.

People whose behavior suggests they are likely to commit crime will also be stopped for questioning. In brief, people subject to random stops include: those who peep into other people’s homes or touch the front gates without cause; people who tail others on foot or in a vehicle; individuals who appear to be running away from someone; people who attempt to hide while watching policemen; people who have blood-stained clothes or shoes; or who seem to be carrying a weapon.

Police also said that they will strictly abide by the conditions of the rules especially in cases when officers need to conduct searches.

“When questioning, officers will have to state their name and rank and explain why they are questioning someone. When examining belongings, they will persuade the citizens to voluntarily show what they are carrying. If a citizen is of the opposite sex to the officer, the latter is recommended not to touch the former’s body or make the former feel shame or embarrassment,” the official said.

Police will also only be able to request that citizens accompany them to a police station when a member of the public has difficulty answering questions on the spot or when questioning obstructs traffic.

Random stops at subway stations, terminals or other public facilities will only be carried out in limited situations.

To prevent police officers from abusing the stop and questioning powers in order to achieve performance evaluation points, there will be no record of the number of random stops made by each officer.

Despite the guidelines, human rights groups are still opposing the measure, claiming the policy treats people as “potential criminals” and is aimed at expanding supervision of citizens.

The police official said, “As the random stops were designed to prevent felonies, they will not be carried out recklessly as happened in the 1980s or 90s during anti-government rallies.”