On our dismal police conduct, in some cases allegedly criminal in nature, the recommendations of the Squatgate independent commission, such as banning the humiliating punishment of nude ear-squat, are but treatment of the symptoms rather than the root cause of the police malaise.

While the commission's recommendations are still welcomed, we need to examine what really represents a closer truth to alleged police misbehaviour.

Basically the Royal Malaysian Police, as a publicly appointed law enforcer, lacks public transparency and accountability on its conduct, and worse, is resistant to change - so says the commission investigating the Squatgate issue.

These observed traits form a terrible combination as a police force that refuses to be accountable for or show transparency for its actions, and senses ministerial tolerance if not support for its flagrant arrogance, would naturally feel completely immune to possible prosecution for its brutal commission of abuses against the very public it is supposed to protect.

Indeed, what the commission has brought out is not new. It merely provides yet another report of a dysfunctional police force that may never see change or improvement, notwithstanding the prime minister's instruction for the police to make periodic announcements in its progress in implementing the earlier commission recommendations.

The commission also made another observation that the police force has been insensitive towards the most fundamental of human rights and dignity. And how!

This reflects on a prevailing attitude that engenders callous abuses. It's alright for the commission to recommend that the police force must change its mindset and work towards a culture that is more effective, responsible and human rights sensitive. But we reckon treatment of the disease afflicting the police, of corruption in its ethics and conduct, really requires a complete change of leadership.

A suppurating or gangrenous wound must be surgically removed to prevent it from continuing to poison the body. The commission's recommendations would come to nought, or at best, be only superficially addressed, so long as the same senior officers still remain in position, totally unscathed despite two damning reports on the organisation they lead, manage and have been responsible for.

Yes, there will be no real change unless there is a complete overhaul of the police leadership. Unless we see some top heads rolling, we should stop pretending that the police force could ever change.

But I won't hold my breath that Caesar will reform his own praetorian guards.