Authority placed in the wrong hands

IN A COUNTRY that takes pride in its security and stability, it would seem at first glance, that everyone working under the umbrella of the Ministry of Interior would know their precise job, which is to serve citizens and residents alike.
Yet more than any other job, the enthusiasm by which those individuals carry out their day-to-day duties is noticeable.
A year ago, I had asked my 6-year-old about his ambitions when he grows up, and he had set his mind on becoming a pilot. The other day as we celebrated his 7th birthday, I asked him the same question again and this time he looked more confident and determined as he expressed his wish to become a policeman. Of course being a child, I was at all not surprised by the change of heart my son had and was rather expecting it. However, as I investigated his motives further, saying that I was surprised is an understatement. “All my friends and I will become policemen so we can have power over everybody else and do whatever we like without being questioned and only we can question everybody else’s actions.” He excitedly explained.
As much as I’d like to think differently, from what I have heard and witnessed from many employees in such an organization, I am positive that a fair number of men in Saudi Arabia had the same kind of idea before they decided to join the police or security forces. I think their shortcomings have nothing to do with the nature of the job itself, but rather some of those who deliver it. When an individual whose education does not go beyond high school or is a high school dropout, wears a security uniform and thinks that he, with his modest professional abilities, has become the Minister of Interior himself with unlimited authority, we can expect nothing but misuse of power. The lack of appropriate training along with the blurred lines of authority, not to mention blind trust in their testimony against that of civilians, contributes to their abuse of perceived power.
Furthermore, the public’s ignorance about their legal rights plays a vital role in encouraging this kind of irresponsible behavior. The combination of corruption, lack of awareness, and mismanagement, makes fertile ground for the abuse of any given power.
It is undeniable that for people to feel safe, they need to trust that the individuals representing security organizations know what they’re doing, but more importantly, they must know their limitations. And that is precisely why the country represented in the Ministry of Interior, should not allow such corrupt and uneducated security employees to distort the country’s overall image and its aims to achieve security, stability and tranquility.