Statements of the Supreme Leader in Meeting with Commanders and Personnel of the Police Force on the Occasion of Police Force Week

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Before any words, it is necessary to sincerely thank each and every hardworking member of the police force, especially the officials, commanders, and managers of the essential affairs of this force who are serving throughout this great and dear nation.

You bear heavy responsibilities, which, of course, according to 'the best deeds are the hardest,' their reward before the Lord and their value in the eyes of the people are great. There is no doubt that the police force has advanced significantly from its past and has progressed in various dimensions. Truly, this cannot be overlooked, and truly valuable motivations are clearly observed in this great force and its various sections. However, Islam and the divine worldview have taught us that on the path of perfection, we should never stop and should not be content with any level. This is a human trait, and God Almighty has ordained it this way. We must strive for elevation and progress day by day. Both in personal matters, what is between you and God, you must refine, elevate, and purify yourselves day by day, becoming more God-conscious and adopting divine ethics, keeping yourselves away from corruption, deviation, and deviation, and also in organizational matters.

The summary of what I expect from the police force of the Islamic Republic can be expressed in three characteristics and three headings: one is 'power.' The police force must possess power. This power is not always with a loud voice, sharp weapons, and a strong fist; rather, power is a spiritual matter. Apparent powers are not truly power. A quality must be created so that both the force itself feels powerful and the people feel that the guardian and protector of their individual and social security is a powerful entity and can defend them. The enemy, that disruptive enemy that causes security disturbances, must also understand that the one standing as a protector here, meaning this powerful police force.

Second, 'dignity.' The police force must be dignified. This dignity arises from the behavior of the police force. It is the manner of performing its duties that makes it dignified in the eyes of the people. You know that if someone becomes tainted, they will be humiliated in the eyes of the people. If someone is introduced as attached to material things, they will fall from grace. Without exception, this is the case. Whoever you want, whether material or spiritual personalities, bring to mind. If those who face him feel that this person is a captive of money, a captive of desires, and a captive of flattery, they will fall from their eyes. Therefore, dignity is in the fact that piety and chastity are observed everywhere in this force. Everyone should feel that this force is a chaste force and does not taint itself with meager material equivalents and lowly and insignificant exchanges. This will bring dignity. This is a spiritual and moral matter.

The third heading is 'mercy and kindness.' You must have compassion and mercy towards the people whose homes, roads, security, borders, and businesses you want to protect. People must feel this. That is, the same powerful and firm force that stands with full power and firmness against those who disrupt security, when it encounters the people or the oppressed, they must feel mercy and compassion in it. Therefore, power, dignity, and mercy are three characteristics that, if found in the police force, the Islamic society can rely on it as an efficient and acceptable police force.

There is a point that is, in fact, the framework of all these, and I want to present that point to both you and all the people. That point is the defense of Islamic values. A group that appears among the people with power and dignity, everyone must know that it intends to defend Islamic values. Within the police force itself, Islamic values must be the top values and criteria and standards. This should be the case in all organizations. If we assume that in a group, for example, the police force or a non-military group, a number of people who are faithful, pious, committed to trust, chaste, and believe in the revolution, and consider themselves soldiers and defenders of revolutionary and spiritual values, feel that they are strangers and alone in this group, you must discover that Islamic values do not dominate the internal atmosphere of this group. But conversely, if those who are against revolutionary and Islamic values in this group and do not care about trust, chastity, piety, protection of Islamic laws and regulations, religion, worship, prayer, presence, and other spiritual symbols and indicators, feel that they are alone and unsupported in this group, this indicates that divine and Islamic values dominate the internal atmosphere of this group. This is a criterion and should be the case in all government agencies and the entire social environment.

If believers, the pious, the God-conscious, those familiar with knowledge, those who believe in and adhere to divine and Islamic values, feel that the social environment is a comfortable, desirable, and breathable environment for them, it shows that divine values dominate this society. The Islamic system must ensure that divine values dominate. The blessed verse 'those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer and give zakat and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong (55)' refers to this meaning; because if in an environment, rulers, governors, and leaders command people to do good and forbid them from evil and establish prayer, values grow in that environment.

In this country, after the victory of the revolution, wherever success was observed, it was because Islamic values had advanced there. Wherever we faced failure, if you investigate, you will see that our problem was the problem of turning away from Islamic laws, regulations, ethics, and values. This is also the case worldwide. You see in societies that have turned away from spirituality, God, and humanity, how difficult people's lives are! How much insecurity, disaster, and crime are prevalent in them! They search for social causes and factors; but because of their distance from truths, they do not grasp the real cause. A mother kills her children. Then consciences are shaken, and they cry out: 'Execute her, destroy her.' What benefit? The foundation is flawed. In that unfortunate society far from God, the problem is turning away from spiritual values and immersing people in corruption. Then material progress and wealth cannot make people happy.

The American society, with great wealth, with abundant living facilities, and with scientific progress, suffers from a spiritual poverty and a terrifying moral destitution that such crimes and disasters occur in it, and this is the consequence of being distant from spirituality. How can it be that a mother, for a fleeting desire and fulfilling a petty wish, kills her children?!

The material society is captive to such disasters. Therefore, you see in material societies, which are immersed in materialism and have forgotten spirituality, the greatest disasters do not shake consciences and do not move them; unless something happens before their eyes, a fleeting movement occurs, and then it is forgotten.

Now, in response to the events happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina (this very genocide and the entry of Serbian forces into the city of Srebrenica, which unfortunately, at the height of disaster, is happening there, in front of the eyes of Western material governments and nations), no reaction is observed. They claim to be upset about human rights violations in a region of the world! Is this true?! Is the killing of thousands of women and children and the exposure of a city of several thousand people to massacre and the destruction of homes and the displacement of families not a violation of human rights?!

Anyone who wants to see the falsehood of claims about supporting human rights in America and in some other countries with their own eyes should look at these events in Srebrenica and Sarajevo and other cities. Anyone who wants to see the inability of the Security Council, which is supposedly established for the security of nations, should look at Srebrenica and these disastrous events.

In history, events like the Mongol invasion and Hulagu Khan's attack astonish people, 'Is it possible for a group to have been so cruel?!' But these historical events are happening before human eyes today. This is the statement we constantly repeat that 'Western systems, Western civilization, and Western claimants are not capable of taking over the administration of the world. They have no right to claim sovereignty over approximately six billion humans and countries around the world; because they cannot manage themselves and ensure their own security and prevent the greatest human disasters.' Then the Americans announce their presence and impose their opinions regarding the Persian Gulf, the Middle Eastern countries, the Central Asian region, and every point in the world! By what right, with which awakened conscience, with which strong will, and with which pure garment do you claim that you must interfere in the affairs of nations and countries?! All of this stems from being distant from spirituality.

This country became dear in the world thanks to turning towards spirituality. This nation gained power in the world thanks to adhering to spirituality and Islam. Today, the great world powers that consider every corner of the world as belonging to themselves and impose their opinions everywhere; give orders to governments and dictate their opinions to kings and presidents, do not dare to impose their opinion and view on the government and nation of Iran; because they know that thanks to this nation's turning towards Islam and the Quran and Islamic values, their opinion and view will be rejected.

The greatest duty of the police force is to preserve values. Power, dignity, and mercy are within the framework of preserving Islamic and Quranic values. When people see one of you anywhere, whether in remote police stations of the country, in the streets of the country's center, in cities, in villages, or on roads, they must see a manifestation of piety, God-consciousness, spirituality, and distance from corruption, and enmity with any kind of deviation in your existence. Someone who is corrupt must fear you. Someone who takes and gives bribes must fear you. Someone who is not God-conscious must fear you. Someone who is pious must be happy, encouraged, and hopeful when they see you and feel that the world and the social environment are good environments and can be lived in.

This is the desired police force of Islam and the Quran. Of course, our hope is this, and God willing, we have this assurance that our police force, with having faithful and religious officials and good elements and arrangements and beneficial and useful programs and regulations, will move in this direction and progress day by day. We hope that God Almighty grants you success; the pure prayers of His Holiness the Remaining Proof of God (Imam Mahdi) include you, and the pure soul of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) is pleased with you. Also, may this 'Police Force Week' be blessed for you and a day when a serious movement towards values is created within the force.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings