Safety or Security?

Photo by Olemedia from Istockphoto
An incident happened close to my office some time last week and it got me thinking if the majority of the people around made the right decision. It is a norm in any place where humans are gathered that the majority will carry the vote when it comes to decision making but this principle needs to be questioned in some cases. In cases where it has to do with life and death, the best decision needs to be followed and not what the majority thinks.

Well, I may be wrong!

The incident happened at about 5:30pm with two young boys getting into a fight. I didn't witness the start of the fight, but it had turned brutal by the time I got to the scene. One of the boys was covered in his own blood from head to toe. It looked as if an object was used to cut the side of his neck (not looking so deep from afar but blood was gushing out from there), and some part of his right arm.

As at the time I got to the scene there were lot of people gathered around and I was unsure of what was going on. I had to stay at a distance to observe all that was happening because it may be risky to move too close to such scene. Not so long, I saw people urging the injured guy to sit on a motorcycle (not an ambulance) as he used his left hand to hold his injured arm and his neck was wrapped with someone's torn dress (no first aid treatment at the scene). The other guy who was only partially injured also got another motorcycle but he was accompanied by a police officer (to prevent him from trying to escape).

Photo by JazzIRT from Istockphoto
Now, this is the crux of the story

Where are they heading to? I was shocked when I got to know that the injured boy and the other boy who injured him but also sustained slight injuries were being taken to the Police Station for questioning. Why?

In a normal setting, I feel the safety of the two boys should be the priority. They should have been taken to an hospital for proper medical treatment before further investigation and possibly punishments. However, I'm unsure if the Police Station has a medical facility - but I doubt it.

It is unreasonable in my opinion to question someone who is injured with heavily flow of blood. The Hospital should be the first destination, irrespective of how notorious the victims may be. What would be the case if they die in custody or if the wounds get infected leading to a serious medical problem.

Photo by TzahiV from Istockphoto

After medical treatment have been duly conducted, then the Police officers may take over the case and address the issue and met any required punishment on either or both of them.

It makes more sense to me a popular culture in most Hospitals, maybe in my country though. There is a popular culture which needs to be displaced in order to ensure that more lives are not lost due to negligence and uncivilized behaviors. Most hospitals will not attend to an accident victim, gunshot victim unless a Police report is presented. So many lives have been lost as a result of this. Before the family or friends of the victim rush to the Police Station to get Police report, the victim would have give up.

I'm sure there are certain rationale behind this such as not wanting to be an accomplice to a crime or something but live must be preserved first. Even if the person is a known criminal, he should have access to medical services first if he sustained a injury. He or she is more useful alive to help in fishing out other criminals in the society.

What's your thoughts?

Hospital or Police Station?

Which should come first?