Malawi Police Service is training its law enforcers to respect the rights of detained suspects through an initiative dubbed Lay Visitors’ Scheme.

Officer in-Charge for Community Policing, Deputy Commissioner Masauko Medi told the media that the scheme will ensure that suspects are treated with dignity while in police custody.

According to Deputy Commissioner Medi the Lay Visitors’ Scheme will also ensure transparency and accountability of police officers.

“The scheme is in line with the concept of human rights based approach to policing as well as community based law enforcing”, said Medi.

He further said the initiative will help to observe, comment and report on the conditions under which persons are detained at police stations in the country.

“The scheme will observe the operations and implement in practice of constitutional, international, statutory, or other rules governing the welfare of persons detained at police stations,” said Medi.

One of the participants, Senior Superintendent Jacqueline Desilver who is also the coordinator for Lilongwe community policing hailed the initiative, saying it will expedite the 48 order rule that police officers follow.

“This initiative is welcomed especially to Lilongwe Police and particularly to the community policing,” she said.

“It will give us a chance to promote our relationship with the members of the public”.

The Lay Visitors Scheme was included in the new police act in 2010 under section 124 and is being piloted in 10 police stations throughout the country.