Whether we have democracy or
not depends on the rights we have and on the kinds of law and order methods imposed
on us. Police reforms are most needed in India today within police organizations.
The politicians keep the police organization under themselves and control them completely.
Politicians transfer those policemen who do not listen to them implicitly.
In 1962 the ‘Santhanam Committee’s recommendations’ were made. Then Thomas Committee also gave report: professionalism should be incorporated, there should be fixed tenure of two years, postings should be on merit only, establishing district level police organizations. Why arethey not adopted? Recruitment or selection method should change. Recruiting police cadres is central part of reforms. The best police cadres are needed, no mediocrity should be tolerated. The criterion used to select personnel is itself extremely inadequate. Anyone can apply and get in easily. Only highly qualified persons should be selected, and extensive interviews must test the value sets of the selected persons before they are given power as policemen and policewomen. Skill test, intelligence tests are given but not attitude tests.
While recruiting for high level posts, IPS (Indian Police Service),only those who want to give first preference to police must be selected for the police cadre. After selection, importance is given for intensive training. The Training Academy is tuned well to impart training. Motivation to serve in the police is important;recruits should genuinely want to serve the people. Reforms are needed in the management of the entire police organization. Corruption in the service has to be addressed. Professionalism is lacking. Experience in dealing with people and their problems will help in the police station inquiries. Only those with dedication can work with the police organization. Those policemen who are sycophants of superior officers or of politicians bring bad name to the police. Women should be at least 4% of the police force. There is urgent need to sensitize the police on issues affecting human rights.
Autonomy is needed both internal and functional. Investigation should be kept separate from maintenance of law and order. Urgent need to remove corruption is recognized. How to remove administrative delays? Hierarchy of the police organization defies decision making, it is arbitrary who will decide on presiding over which case first. The moving of cases (files) is cumbersome and time consuming and needs to be simplified. E-office or e-file and computerization will be helpful, this should be adopted fast. Regulation should not be controlled so much that no action can be taken. Pending cases must be cleared fast; the movement of the files should be speeded up. First, there is registration of complaint, this should be computerized, then the there is inquiry and making of the report. Initially an investigating officer makes the report when a case is registered; later when tracking it same investigating officer gives details for that report. Another officer’s second opinion is needed, and rules do not permit this.These lapses in the processes makes the police station a dysfunctional organization. Vigilance cases must be reduced, there are too many. Delays in investigation of corruption cases being probed, leads to burying of key evidences. Many directives on police reform are not implemented, because of the lag of mindsets. The police personnel want to usurp power; the mindset of police is that “we are the law” and “nobody can challenge us” Sometimes local “khap panchayat justice” is incorporated by lower level officers. This must change; justice and values as per medieval era will not prevail.The poor and the meek are often the victims of injustices carried on by the police force.
Monitoring the misconduct in the police force is needed but not to the extent that no decision can be made. If an officer does not obey, he will lose his job or will get a transfer. So implicit obedience is demanded, even if it is not the correct course of action.Logic and decision making should be adhered to and not observance of authority and hierarchy.Re-training of personnel is most urgent.
If the state loses its grip over the police organizations,the agents(who maintain law and order),it will become aggressive and threaten the people(when given too much power).This would be a nightmare(which could turn into reality). Encounter killings have become too frequent.They should be taken seriously and investigated in a proper manner.Politicization of police force will be counter checked. Justice system, its methods and its personnel do not indicate a just society.Police brutality and all interrogation methods must change if we are truly a democracy.
In 1962 the ‘Santhanam Committee’s recommendations’ were made. Then Thomas Committee also gave report: professionalism should be incorporated, there should be fixed tenure of two years, postings should be on merit only, establishing district level police organizations. Why arethey not adopted? Recruitment or selection method should change. Recruiting police cadres is central part of reforms. The best police cadres are needed, no mediocrity should be tolerated. The criterion used to select personnel is itself extremely inadequate. Anyone can apply and get in easily. Only highly qualified persons should be selected, and extensive interviews must test the value sets of the selected persons before they are given power as policemen and policewomen. Skill test, intelligence tests are given but not attitude tests.
While recruiting for high level posts, IPS (Indian Police Service),only those who want to give first preference to police must be selected for the police cadre. After selection, importance is given for intensive training. The Training Academy is tuned well to impart training. Motivation to serve in the police is important;recruits should genuinely want to serve the people. Reforms are needed in the management of the entire police organization. Corruption in the service has to be addressed. Professionalism is lacking. Experience in dealing with people and their problems will help in the police station inquiries. Only those with dedication can work with the police organization. Those policemen who are sycophants of superior officers or of politicians bring bad name to the police. Women should be at least 4% of the police force. There is urgent need to sensitize the police on issues affecting human rights.
Autonomy is needed both internal and functional. Investigation should be kept separate from maintenance of law and order. Urgent need to remove corruption is recognized. How to remove administrative delays? Hierarchy of the police organization defies decision making, it is arbitrary who will decide on presiding over which case first. The moving of cases (files) is cumbersome and time consuming and needs to be simplified. E-office or e-file and computerization will be helpful, this should be adopted fast. Regulation should not be controlled so much that no action can be taken. Pending cases must be cleared fast; the movement of the files should be speeded up. First, there is registration of complaint, this should be computerized, then the there is inquiry and making of the report. Initially an investigating officer makes the report when a case is registered; later when tracking it same investigating officer gives details for that report. Another officer’s second opinion is needed, and rules do not permit this.These lapses in the processes makes the police station a dysfunctional organization. Vigilance cases must be reduced, there are too many. Delays in investigation of corruption cases being probed, leads to burying of key evidences. Many directives on police reform are not implemented, because of the lag of mindsets. The police personnel want to usurp power; the mindset of police is that “we are the law” and “nobody can challenge us” Sometimes local “khap panchayat justice” is incorporated by lower level officers. This must change; justice and values as per medieval era will not prevail.The poor and the meek are often the victims of injustices carried on by the police force.
Monitoring the misconduct in the police force is needed but not to the extent that no decision can be made. If an officer does not obey, he will lose his job or will get a transfer. So implicit obedience is demanded, even if it is not the correct course of action.Logic and decision making should be adhered to and not observance of authority and hierarchy.Re-training of personnel is most urgent.
If the state loses its grip over the police organizations,the agents(who maintain law and order),it will become aggressive and threaten the people(when given too much power).This would be a nightmare(which could turn into reality). Encounter killings have become too frequent.They should be taken seriously and investigated in a proper manner.Politicization of police force will be counter checked. Justice system, its methods and its personnel do not indicate a just society.Police brutality and all interrogation methods must change if we are truly a democracy.
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