In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

First of all, I welcome you all dear brethren, dear sisters, officials and high-ranking [commanders] of police [force], who meet one of the most prominent and important national needs, and have shouldered this responsibility. I [also] welcome the esteemed Minister of Interior, who is present here. I hope, God willing, all of you would be successful and assisted [by God].

We must all congratulate one another [for this] divine bounty that we have been able to enter the [lunar] month of Rajab once again. The month of Rajab is an opportunity for getting close to divine values and getting close to the sacred being of God; and is an opportunity for self-purification. These days that have been introduced in our traditions as prominent days; these [days] are all opportunities. Every opportunity is a blessing and every blessing requires thanksgiving. [And true] thanksgiving for a blessing is that one must first know the blessing [and then] behave as is exigent for that blessing; take advantage of it; know that the blessing comes from God; and use it in the way of God. The month of Rajab is one of these blessings. [The] next [month] is Sha’ban, which is another blessing and, in the eyes of perfect human beings and those who are intimate with monotheism and [divine] values, these two months are a prelude to the month of Ramadan. And the month of Ramadan is the month of ascension; the month of Mi’raj [Ascension to Heaven], the month of purification, [and] the month of refining [one’s soul], which we all are in need of. Know the value of the month of Rajab. During this month, increase your recourse to the Creator of the World as much as possible. Remember God and do your job for God. This effort that you make and this trouble that you take, devote it to God.

Your job is one of those jobs in which divine intent and the intention for getting close [to God] can easily come into play. All actions can be done for the sake of God, even earning a livelihood can be done for the sake of God and with divine intent. However, having such a divine intent is much easier in certain jobs, including your job. Because your job is to serve the society; serve the people, serve the Islamic Republic, [and] serve Islam; it is [in fact] assisting Islam. [This is the meaning of] this verse [of Quran] that this dear youth read out here [which says] that “O ye who believe! Be ye helpers of Allah;” be among those who aid and assist and help God. Well, one [of its examples] is this. Your job is among those jobs, which can verily help Islam, help religion, help people. Therefore, the intent for closeness [to God] that you say “O God! This service that I provide, this hour that I spend at the office, this hour that I am on watch, this effort that I make to do a better job, these five minutes that I stay at the office after hours and do the job, I do this for you, this is an opportunity for your job to be done for God. Take advantage of the blessings of this month one of whose examples is what I just said.

First of all, I must thank the police force. Well, good things are being done. A man may have flaws in one instance, two instances, [or] five instances, but the truth is that the effort that the police force is making across the country is truly and fairly a laudable effort. One example is your endeavors during new year [holidays]. During new year, all people are in their homes, with their relatives, with their children. [However], your youth, your guys, your officers are on the roads, in cities, here and there, and are worried about the situation of others and the comfort of others. On the roads, one way, in the city, another way; in police stations one way, [and] on the streets, another way. This is very valuable and it is necessary to thank you and I thank you.

The importance of the police force, on which I put so much emphasis, is due to the importance of the police mission. Importance of every human being is tantamount to the responsibility that they shoulder and this human or this organ or this organization is as important [as its responsibility]. The mission entrusted to you is to establish security in the country. Security is very important. People know the value of security when it does not exist; when a man gets out of his house, a women gets out of her house, a young person and a child get out of their houses without being sure that they would return to that house again; [When] street is insecure, alley is insecure, wilderness is insecure, [and] incidents await citizens; when people do not feel safe even in their homes. This is when one would understand how important security is. Creation of this security, establishment of this security, generalization of this security, is your job. The most important organization and organ that has shouldered this important task is the police force and this is a very important job. Therefore, the organization gains its importance through the approach that it takes to this mission.

Well, security is not an issue of propaganda or mere words that one would say “people, we have created security.” If you repeat one hundred times in statements, communiques and [your] remarks that ‘yes, we have made this street secure,’ then when people walk along the street at night [they] face implications of insecurity, well, all you have said would count for nothing: “actions speak louder than words.” People should feel secure. The feeling of security depends on the real existence of security; security should exist in reality. Well, of course, good steps have been taken. The statistics that the esteemed commander announced [prove this], [and] I have seen those figures in reports, and these are very valuable as well. However, you should not stop at that; your intention and determination should be [focused on] raising this level of security and securing [the society] as much as possible. That we, for example, reduce road accidents by a certain percent, this is not enough. Your determination should be to totally stop road accidents from happening; to prevent robbery from happening. Creating insecurity in cities and such incidents that are [taking place] should not happen; this should be [the goal] of your determination. When you focus your determination on this, naturally, the job will be done nonstop; that is, the job you do will never lose steam.

One important issue is that the social security and personal security, which we talk about, is not simply that when you get out of your house to go to work, to shop, to your business or school, for example, nobody attacks you with a knife. Well, yes, this is one form of security that people are not exposed to physical harm; there is no doubt about it. However, in addition to this, there are [some] more intangible forms of security in terms of being noticed and observed, but [their absence is] sometimes much more dangerous [than ordinary security]. Take, for example, the insecurity that stems from spread of narcotic drugs. If the environment of our recreation centers, the environment of our park, the environment of our street, the environment of our school was such that anybody entering them, especially the youth; most importantly the youth; would not be secure against the narcotic drugs, this insecurity is a very dangerous [form of] insecurity. If our youth, for example, were not safe against being attracted to immorality and other evil deeds, this would be a great insecurity. You are certainly aware, and we have reports, that certain people spend money or are hired by centers that give them orders, and their goal is to attract our youth at night parties in different places toward immorality and evil deeds! This is different from the case when a young person does something that is not religiously correct. No, this [issue of] attracting the youth toward vice is insecurity. You must not allow [this and] must prevent this. If, for example, our streets are safe against various physical accidents, but our youth are not secure at school, at university, at park, at store, [and] through street friendship against being drawn toward a night party and being introduced to immorality and vice and the likes of that, or become immersed in such things; or [are not safe against] sexual assaults; these are things which are among very important security matters. That is, if we don’t have a security which covers these things, in fact, we have no security. After all, narcotic drugs, sexual offenses, attracting [the youth] toward immorality and the likes of them are very important issues.

There is another issue, which I have heard that sometimes in some streets, these young people who are beyond themselves due to their wealth – drunk with the vanity of wealth – ride luxury cars and start roaming the streets, and strolling along, and [making] the environment of the street insecure; these are also a form of insecurity. Plans should be drawn up for all kinds of insecurity and action is needed and [suitable] steps should be taken. These are all among various aspects of security.

[Another] important issue, which exists – and I have repeatedly said this – is the issue of the authority of the police force. The police force in its responsibility, which is to create security, is the symbol of the Islamic Republic Establishment. That is, it is an innate task for the Islamic Republic to create security in the society. Moral security, social security – as you explained – are among our duties; among duties of the Islamic Republic; we cannot be indifferent toward these [duties]. The symbol of this security and the centerpiece of this security is the police force. Therefore, you should have authority; you should be able to act authoritatively, should be able to act firmly. However, the point is that authority should not be mistaken for oppression. Authority should not be mistaken with acting in an unrestricted and unbridled manner.

For example, assume that in some countries – like America – the police are very authoritative. They show muscular people through the cameras and like that, who have entered the scene as the police and are doing their job. Well, yes, but they kill the innocent. They shoot fifteen [or] sixteen bullets at a person and bash him and annihilate him because, for example, [they think] he had intended to draw a gun. This authority is not a good form of authority; it is authority combined with oppression; this is an authority which finally does not create security, but creates insecurity. This [authority] becomes a cause for insecurity. And when they are taken to court, courts acquit them, which you hear. This problems are unfortunately rampant in a world that pays no attention to spiritual values and you see it. Now, the irony is that in America, the so-called president is also a black person and, at the same time, such things and acts are done to black people.

On the occasion that one day slavery was abolished by a person, a president, they celebrate. Of course, [even] that [claim] is open to objection; it is open to basic objection. That is, Abraham Lincoln who say has abolished this [slavery], according to historical studies that some people have carried out, this is not a true story. The problem was not abolition of slavery; the problem was a problem between the north and the south, and longstanding and rooted many-year-old wars between the north and the south of America, and the issue of disputes between land ownership and farming, on the one side, and industry, on the other side. The [real] dispute was over these issues; the issue was not that [abolition of slavery] was really a result of humanitarian feelings. However, at the same time, the black people are being oppressed, are being ignored, are being humiliated; and their lives [is also in danger]. This form of authority for police is not desirable for Islam and is not desirable for us. No, we don’t like to give a so-called cinematic and Hollywood-style quality to the actions of our police. We want the job to be done in the true sense of the word; that is, firmness, [and] authority [must] coexist with justice, with manliness, with mercy; in some cases [police work] should be combined with mercy; this is the symbol of Islam. The divine being of the Almighty is compassionate and merciful, on the one hand, while on the other hand, He administers painful torment; that is both these aspects should be taken into account at the same time. This should continue to move down the pyramid and spread to our life and our behaviors and out actions, including about the police, which this quality should exist.

Another issue, which in my opinion is very important, is abiding by law. This law abidance has two forms. One form is in the face of people; that is, you must see where a law is being violated and stop it right there. Another form is within the organization. That is, a member of the police force should abide by law in the true sense of the word within the organization and observe the laws. Law abidance should be observed more in there [police organization] than other places; and naturally, the health of the force [is very important]; the health. I always advised former esteemed [police] commanders during the past years, [and] now firmly recommend the esteemed commander and officials of the police force that you should never underestimate the issue of the health of the force; the health of the force. You are different from other military force; you are among the people and people are in touch with you. God forbid, any violation, problem, flaw, misbehavior, and erroneous act will be immediately observed by people; more than other organizations. Perhaps, we have few organizations across the country that are mingled with and are among people as much as you do. Therefore, if God forbid, there are problems, a mistake, treachery, [or any other] problem, it will be immediately observed by the society. When it is observed, it is not only the police force that is discredited – [because] as I said before, the police force represents the Islamic Establishment, represents the Islamic Republic among people –; [therefore] everybody will be discredited.

This is why you must attach high importance to the health of the force. Within police stations, on the streets, on the roads, in all other places, real attention should be paid to this issue that the health of the police force and its members should be preserved. The police force can really give credit to the Islamic Republic. That is, if we assume that five or ten other organizations do not fulfill their duties, but the police force is a police force, which acts correctly, is honest, powerful, firm and with necessary qualifications, [it will] give credit to the Islamic Republic Establishment in the eyes of people; it can be a source of credit. The opposite of this, God forbid, may also happen. Therefore, attention should be paid to these [issues] that the main point is organizational safeguard. This safeguard [against unhealthy behavior] should exist within the organization, which will be naturally, reflected outside [the organization].

Well, the report of the esteemed commander mentioned that spiritual and moral issues and religious and ideological issues and the likes of them are receiving attention and being planned for; this is very good. Scientific advances in this job and reliance on scientific innovations that emerge in the world day by day, is very necessary because this will lead to promotion of the organization. Trust Almighty God; do your job for God; do it correctly. Almighty God will, God willing, bless you; [He] will both bless your work, and, God willing, make you source of blessings for the Establishment of the Islamic Republic. I pray for you; may Almighty, God willing, help all of you succeed; be successful and be able to do whatever is necessary. There are common works in various sectors [and] officials should cooperate [with you] and, God willing, you will be able to do great things through cooperation.

Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and His blessings.