Chapter 2 - Report of the Complaints, Monitoring and Inquiries Group Several recommendations were made: 1. The police force should facilitate peaceful assemblies as envisaged by the PAA. In ensuring crowd and traffic management, and minimising disruptions to public activities in the places concerned, the authorities and organisers must reach mutual agreement on relevant matters. The authorities must keep in mind that the former section 27 of the Police Act 1967 is no longer applicable to public assemblies. Meetings should be held with the organisers after notice of the assembly is given, as provided under section 13 of the PAA.5 2. The police should conduct briefings and training for its personnel in managing and facilitating the work of media personnel during an assembly. Both parties should acknowledge their roles in the public and national interest, while maintaining respect for each other. 3. The police force should identify alternatives to ensure that the line of communications is maintained among officers, to prevent confusion with respect of orders or action taken by any of the personnel on the ground during an assembly. 4. Participants, when ordered to disperse, should be given sufficient and reasonable time to do so in an orderly manner; proper exit routes should be made available. Any action by the police should not result in the ‘kettling’ of participants. 5. The police should wear their permanent name tag or identification body numbers at all times when on duty during an assembly. While there is a need for plainclothes officers to monitor, observe and document the event, they must not be involved in the dispersal or arresting process, unless they have clearly identified themselves. 6. Any person arrested should be informed of the ground of arrest and given access to legal counsel. The method of arrest should be commensurate with the seriousness of the offence. Principles of human rights and the safety of the arresting party and individuals are important, and proper guidelines must be established by the police on methods of arrest. 7. It is strongly recommended that the police force conduct investigations into reports lodged by members of public, even though these allege violations committed by police personnel. The police force must act expeditiously to conclude its investigations to avoid allegations of bias and lack of transparency. 5 Section 13 of the PAA states: ‘The Officer in Charge of the Police District may at any time after receiving the notification under subsection 9(1), if the circumstances warrant it, call the organiser for a meeting to advise the organiser on the assembly.’ 70