PETALING JAYA: A criminologist has acknowledged that leaking confidential police information on social media may bring certain advantages but said it may also disrupt ongoing probes and tarnish the image of the force.

P Sundramoorthy of Universiti Sains Malaysia said such leaks may bring cases of police misconduct and corruption into the public eye. This, he said will in turn increase accountability and transparency, and may lead to reforms within the police force.

However, he said information leaks may also lead suspects to destroy evidence, intimidate witnesses and escape justice.

Certain information provided without the proper context could also tarnish the reputation of the entire force, he added.

“Public perception of the police may suffer, resulting in increased hostility towards officers and hindering their ability to effectively carry out their duties,” he told FMT.

Sundramoorthy nevertheless acknowledged that leaks could pave the way for positive change by prompting internal probes and encouraging the removal of corrupt officers and practices that endanger public safety.

“When some officers expose misconduct or corrupt practices, it can help restore public trust in law enforcement by demonstrating that not all officers are complicit in covering up wrongdoing,” he said.

He added that bringing cases of wrongful convictions into the spotlight could lead to the exoneration of innocent persons. It will also encourage fairer treatment of victims of police misconduct, he added.

Sundramoorthy’s comments followed an admission by Kuala Lumpur police chief Allaudeen Abdul Majid last week that some police officers and members of the public have been leaking confidential information on social media.

Allaudeen warned that doing so could threaten the country’s security and peace.

Former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan suggested that the police force create a separate mobile app for their members to share confidential reports with their superiors to protect against information leaks.

“I hope police members will not use WhatsApp to submit reports to their superiors. A separate app must be created to protect confidential information from falling into the hands of irresponsible parties,” he told FMT.

Musa warned that leaking confidential information comprising situation reports, classified operations, and investigation summaries could jeopardise police efforts to arrest suspects in hiding, as well as allow certain quarters to criticise the police over ongoing investigations.

He said police officers who leak information on social media could be probed under the Official Secrets Act and are liable to face disciplinary action if they are caught.

Musa also reminded the public to treat so-called police information found on social media with caution, saying that not all of it is genuine.

This article first appeared on FMT.