PART II
General And Special Duties
416.Standing Orders - Regional, Station and other
(1) Commisssioners of the Regions will draw up Regional Standing Orders to provide instructions of a permanent nature to stations in their command. Matters dealt with in such Standing Orders will not vary or amend Service Standing Orders without the express authority of the Inspector General. Copies of Regional Standing Orders and amendments and additions thereto will be furnished to Service Headquarters and to the Commissioners of the other Regions.
(2)Officers in charge of stations will draw up Station and Post Standing Orders applicable to their own station areas, subject to the approval of the Commissioner Region, who will be furnished with copies of all such Station or Post Orders. These are not required in Service Headquarters.
(3) Officers in Charge of Service Headquarters Branches will draw up Standing Orders applicable to their respective Branches, subject to the approval of the Inspector General who shall be furnished with a copy of all such Standing Orders.
417.Employment of P.M.S. Detachments
(1) For operational purposes platoons based or temporarily deployed in a Region will be under the orders of Commissioner Region, in which they are located.
(2) The siting end movement of the platoons in the operational area will be at the discretion of the Commissioner Region in consultation with the Officer in Charge P.M.S. of the Region
(3)Although the unit is deployed at platoon strength occasions may arise when operational needs necessitate the temporary breakdovm of platoons for deployment as reinenforcemed to other police detachment or patrols. It will be the responsibility of both the Commissioner Region, and the Officer-in-Charge P.M.S. Company, to ensure that such detached duties are reduced to a minimum in order that the strength of the P.M.S. as a striking Service is not dissipated. Officers-in-Charge, PMS Companies will report all changes in platoon dispositions to the Officer-in-Charge, Police Mobile Service Heaquarters as they occur.
(4) Whenever possible before a unit or the P.M.S Headquarters is sent out on duty the Commissioner Region, should consult the Regional Administrator. He shall then satisfy himself that the duties the platoon or unit will be required to perform are a proper function of the P.M.S. and that Explixit orders are issued.
(5) When a detachment is required to proceed on operations within a district the Officer-in-Charge, Police of the district, or senior officer delegated by him and, if necessary, a magistrate should accompany party. The Officer- in-Charge, Police, of the district or senior officer delegated by him would be in charge of the Police party (see S.S.O. 57) unless the P.M.S. detachment commander holds a higher rank, when he would be appointed by the Commissioner Region, to be in command of the operation.
(6) If during the course of the opereration, the Officer-in-Charge, Police, of the district or senior officer delegated by his/her requires the P.M.S. to take necessary action, the P.M.S. commander should be given his instructions and he should then be allowed to carry out his work with his platoon. The manner in which he handles his platoon in order to achieve his object will be his responsibility. However, should it become necessary for the platoon or detachment commander to open fire, before doing so he/she will, if he is junior in rank to the Officer-in-Charge, Police party, receive prior permission from that officer.
418. Inspections.
(1) An Officer's inspection book (M.P. 169) will be maintained in each Regional Headquarters and in each police station and post. An inspection book on a station will be a confidential record, and it will be kept in the office of the Officer-in-Charge in a locked cabinet or safe. Inspection books on Posts will not be classified as confidential.
(2) Every officer superior in rank to the Officer in Charge concerned will make an appropriate entry in the inspection book on each occasion on which he inspects or pays an official visit.
(3) By “official visit” is meant when an officer in passing or on some specific duty in the district takes the opportunity of calling in at a station to see whether everything is correct or for other official purpose.
(4) A “full inspection” is when an officer having notified his intention in advance, visits the station with a view to going into the details of the running of the station. It is effect a formal inspection.
(5) When a surprise inspection is not intended a week’s notice will normally be given of a full inspecton. Full inspections of stations and posts will be carried out as:-
( a) By Comrnissioner Region:-
(i) All police stations in the region once every year.
(ii) All police posts in the region once every year.
(b)By an Officer-in-Charge, Station
(i)All posts in the station area once every quarter.
Officers-in-Charge, Headquarters Branches, will submit once a quarter to the Inspector General for approval details of inspections they propose to carry out.
An inspection by the Inspector General or Deputy Inspector General with the Commissioner Region, in attendance will not count as a full inspection by the latter for the purpose of this Order.
(6) Surprise visits will be made by Commissioners Regions, to stations and posts, and by Officer-in-Charge, Stations, to posts under their command, to ensure in particular that crime is receiving proper attention, and that, generally, police duties are being carried out in the manner laid down. Once a year the Commissioner Region when on a surprise visit to a police station will carry out an inspection of at least two hours duration. An officer-in-Charge, station, will visit all police posts in the station area once a month.
(7)Matters to which attention must be paid in the course of a full inspection are listed in paragraph (15) of this order.
(8) All books and registers inspected must be initalled and dated on the inside of the front cover; case files will be initialled and dated in the manner presctibed in S.S.O. 270. Books and other documents not so initialled and dated will be deemed not to have been inspected.
(9) When an inspection is made, notes of such inspection will normally be recorded in the inspection book at the time by the inspecting officer. It may not always be possible, however, for this to be done and in these circumstances the inspecting officer will forward to the Officer-in-Charge, Station, a report on his inspection. This report will then be pasted into the inspection book, if the inspecting officer is the Commissioner Region, and a full inspection has been made, the report which will be so forwarded for pasting in the book will be an original copy of the one prescribed in paragraph (14) below. An Officer-in-Charge, Station, who has received a copy of an inspecting officer's report for pasting in the station inspection book will render an early report on action taken by him to implement any instructions issued in the inspection report.
(10) If the inspecting officer’s notes are written into the inspection book at the time of the inspection a typewritten copy of these notes should, within one week of the inspection, be forwarded to the Commissioner Region, the Officer-in-Charge, Station, adding his report on action taken by him on the points in the inspection notes. If the inspecting officer who recorded his/her notes in the book was a Service Headquarters officer, a copy of the notes should be sent to Regional Headquarters by the officer in Charge, Station, in duplicate (with his report on action taken by him/her, also in duplicate). The Commissioner Region, will then append any comments he has to make and forward to Service Headquarters one copy of the inspection notes and of the report of the Officer-in-Charge, Station.
(11) Matters requiring action by Service Headquarters will be raised specifically under separate correspondence. Action by Service Headquarters should not be requested solely through the medium of inspection notes.
(12)Reports on surprise inspections carried out by Commissioners Regions are not required in Service Headquarters (unless there are special reasons for submitting them) nor are follow-up reports by Officers-in-Charge, Stations, on action taken by them on points raised in a regional officer's inspection.
(13) When an Officer-in-Charge, Station, inspects a post under his command he will record the time, date and purpose of his visit in the inspection book. His/her inspection noted will be recorded in the inspection book. A copy of the notes will be sent to Regional Headquarters. The inspection book of a station (As distinct from a post) will only contain entries and notes by visiting or inspection officers; the Officer-in-Charge Station, will not normally make any entries whatsoever in this book.
(14) Whenever Commissioner Region makes a full inspection of a station or post, a report in the following terms will be forwarded to the Officer in Charge of the station concerned (for pasting in the inspection book), with a copy to Service Headquarters.
I carried out a full inspection of ……………. Station/post between ..……….. and …………… (time and date to be stated). The station/post has been under the command of ………….. since …………. The matters set out in SSO 418 (15) received attention during the inspection. The station/post is being administered in conformity with Service Standing Orders, Service Orders and Other instructions amanating from Service and Regional Headquarters with the exception of matter noted below.
Exceptions and other matters requiring attention by the Officer-in-Charge ...... station were as follows:-
General observations:
......
Designation of Inspecting Officer
Date ......
(15) The following matters will receive attention by Commissioner Region, when he/she inspects a station or post and by an Officer-in-Charge, Station, when he inspects one of the posts under his command.
(a) Parade (kit inspection and drill, arms, squad and riot)
(b) Turn-out
(c) Condition of arms
(d) Complaints and personal representations by the men
(e) Address or lecture, all available personnel present
(f) Note books
(g)Conditions of quarters and precincts of police lines
(h)Condition of office and surroundings
(i)Condition and adequancy of furniture and equipment on inventory and articles in use ledger charge
(j)Operation and maintenance of Service transport and wireless signals (vehicle log books tobe scruitnised)
(k) Station books and records as prescribed by S.S.O.
(l)Control of expenditure
(m)Annotation of law books
(n)Found property, exhibits, C.I.F., and Station Imprests
(o) Detention of persons in custody (strict conformity with CP and EC, S.S.O.s. and Regional Standing Orders), prisoners' property
(p)Station organisation and deployment of strength
(q) Crime and maintenance of casefiles
(r) Police supervisees and surveillance men
(s)Beats and patrols
(t) Matters relating to reenlistments, increments, efficiency allowances and station leave rosters
(u)Adequacy of parades and lectures held since 1ast inspection
(v)Welfare of personnel, canteens and organized games
(w) District Commissioner, if available, to be seen regarding Police work in the district generally.
(16)Information regarding dress to be worn and parades to be carried out at the time of inspection is contained in the Malawi Police Training Manual.
(17) When a formal inspection is held of a station by the Inspector Genera1 by the Deputy Inspector or Commissioner Region the inspecting officer will be furnished on arrival with a “parade state”. This will include:-
(a) Total establishment and posted strength.
(b) Number of personnel detached for duties with detai1s, i.e. on patrol, escort, on station duties.
(c )Number of personnel sick.
(d) Total number present on duty at the station at commencement of inspection, broken down into ranks. Names and numbers of personnel will not be shown.
419. Kit Inspection
(1) Kit inspection will be held once a quarter and at such other times as the Officer in Charge considers necessary.
(2) Kit will be laid out strictly in accordance with Appendix VI to these Orders.
(3) Deficiencies in kit will be made good by issues on repayment.
(4) Disciplinary action should be taken in cases where deficiencies are due to negligence or where kit is not clean and in a proper state of repair.
420.Change of Command
Handing over notes
1.(a)Prior to handing over a, station or other command (other than a police post) the officer handing over will prepare for his successor notes on all matters pertaining, to the command.
(b) Such notes will be the medium by which the receiving officer will le advised on these subjects which have been actively engaging the attention of the command and ensure that the general information register (S.S.O 428) is up to date and will assist in the co-ordination of policy and progression towards a definite and common objective.
(c) In the case of the handing over of stations, an opinion should also be expressed as to the ability, work, efficiency and zeal of senior members of the detachment including N.C.O.s.
(d) The taking over officer will study the notes and take such steps to give effect to the recommendations, to institute improvements, or to rectify faults as may be necessary.
(e) Handing over notes will include the following information:-
Canteen Accounts
To be signed by the Officer handing over and by the officer taking over as correct. At all formations where canteen are operation by Police a copy of the canteen balance sheet, covering the period from the last quarterly balance sheet to the date of the hand-over, signed by both officers will be forwarded to Service Headquarters with Handing Over notes.
Finance : List of Votes and amounts remaining there in, together with brief comment, if necessary on any particular expenditure.
Buildings :Proposed building projects only
Crime : Brief comment on crime trends, drawing attention toparticular problems and outstanding cases of note.
Organization:Brief comment on any difficulties experienced and any recommendations
Traffic :Brief comment on local problems or points to watch.
Staff :Confidential reports in accordance with sub-para.(1) (c) of this order
Discipline : Brief comment on discipline generally
General :Brief comment on any matter of note dealt with previously or in the General information register, which will not contain any remarks detrimental to individuals outside the Service
(2)In the case of a Regional or Headquarters Branch one copy of the relieved officer's handing over notes must be sent to the Inspector General. In the Case of a station two copies will be sent, one for retention in Regional Headquarters and one for transmission to Service Headquarters. Handing over notes will be sent under confidential cover. In the case of a police post the officer handing over or taking over will complete the certificate as at (4) below. Handing and taking over Certificates.
(3) On completion of the change of command a certificate in the form shown in paragraph (4), suitably modified when a Command other than a station is being handed over, will be prepared, and signed. One copy will be sent to Service Headquarters and, in the case of the station, one copy will be retained in Regional Headquarters. One copy should be retained by the Officer handing over and one by the officer taking over. The certificates is not required at service Headquarters in respect of a Police Post.
(4) Handing and Taking Over Certificate
(1)I acknowledge to have taking over from Inspector ………….. or all arms, ammunitions, vehicles, office furniture equipment, stores, found property, exhibits, and prisoners property, according to station records.
I have received in good order all balances of cash as follows:
(a)C.I.F.(C.I.D.)K10.00
(b)C.I.F.(N.I.S.)K- -
K20.00
(c)STATION IMPREST
(i)Station:
Completed voucher in hand K--. --
Outstanding as recorded in
Cash book K5.00
Cash in hand K5.00
Total as per imprest
Warrant No. K10.00
(ii)Post(s)
(d) Welfare Fund
Cash in handK60.00
Cash in P.O.S BankK60.00
TotalK120.00
(e) Station Postage Stamps
10 x 10t K1.00
20 x 2t K1.00Total K2.00
(f) EXHIBITSNil
(g) FOUND PROPERTY Nil
(3)I have also taken over the keys of the safe, station books and records including case files, the Malawi Police Seal No. 22, the Malawi Police Code, Inspector General's and Regional Circulars copy No. 30, instructions in case of civil disturbance (Blue Book) No.7, Government, security instructions No. 141, Station Postal Frank No. 30 and one Riot Drill Manual No 66.
(4)Exceptions and deficiencies:Nil
…………………………………………
OFFICER HANDING OVER OFFICERTAKING OVER
Date ……………Date …………
(5)Officers in Charge will also ensure that Handing and Taking over Certificates are rendered in the above form, when proceeding on annual holiday and returning to the same command. In this instance Handing Over Notes will not be required.
421.Police Station and Posts – Hours of Opening
(1)The following hours of opening of Stations and Posts will be observed throughout the country;
(a) Stations with an establishment of 18 men or over Day and Night.
(b) Posts with an establishment of not less than 12 men - 60 a.m. to 10p.m.
(c)Posts with an establishment of 6 to 11 men - 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(2) Officers – in- Charge will ensure that there are at least two men on duty at their stations and posts from 4.30 p.m. to 7.30 a.m. daily to ensure security of arms. One of these will be an available constable, the other the O.B. Keeper.
(3) In the case of posts which do not remain open over night the two constables on duty may sleep.
422. Allocation of Station Duties
(1) Every Saturday morning Officers in Charge will prepare and cause to have displayed on a notice board particulars of the duties to be Undertaken by every member of the station during the succeeding week.
(2)The displaying of this “weekly detail” on the notice board for the information of all ranks will be deemed to constitute an order for the personnel named therein to undertake the duties shown against their respective names.
(3) Whenever possible, every member of a station should enjoy a weekly day of rest. When this is not possible owing to the exigencies of work Officers in Charge should endeavour to arrange a man’s subsequent duties so that he gets time off equivalent to the rest periods lost.
(4)Copies of the “weekly detail” will be retained for inspection by Inspecting Officers.
423.Station Duties O.B. Keepers
(1)A constable employed in a police station on Occurrence Book duties will enter all reports received by him relating to crime or alleged offences of any description and all incidents which might possibly require police action or attention. He has no discretion whatever as to what particular report of alleged crime or statutory contraventions should be entered in Occurrence Book: every such report must be entered without delay. It is for a more responsible officer than O.B. keeper to decide, for example, that a report does not warrant police action by way of a case file or minute paper. If this is decided then the officer responsible will cause a second O.B. entry to be made, recording briefly the grounds for his decision.