Police post and Patwar-khana are the symbols of a Government. These also speak of law and order. This is the old saying with the village folks in our State. Times have changed. Population has increased manifold and there is large scale migration of population from rural to urban areas. When concentration of population takes place, it gives rise to a number of questions because it is one of the important causes of rise in crime and anti-social activities. In fact, population explosion in our country has created most of the problems with which we are faced today. The reason is that the State is not able to provide civil services commensurate with the increase in population. Along with that, economic activities in the State have increased conspicuously. This is indicated by the number of bank branches which are opened at a rapid pace not only in urban but also in rural areas. After all it is indicative of enhanced economic activity among the people and their urge for moving forward.
In the light of this over-arching scenario, it is but natural that there is great pressure on police services. It has to be noted that the nature of police services have also gone through a drastic change. Police is not meant only to maintain law and order though that remains its primary duty. Yet in today’s conditions, the police are required to fight armed insurgency, accelerate surveillance, intensify intelligence collection and above all render multifarious assistance to the people whenever called upon. In times of natural or man-made calamity, the police have to rise to the occasion and risk their lives while performing the duties assigned to them. Police services have had to be streamlined as per necessity. In particular, rise of armed insurgency in the State, though sponsored and abetted externally, has taken a big toll of social order in the State. The police are called upon to restore social order and ensure security of life and property of law abiding citizens. The new phenomenon has emerged in the context of services rendered by the police and that is the need for protection of human rights. NGOs, civil society, philanthropists and social activists, one and all, demand that police observe human rights while dealing with law and order situation. Ordinary people have no ideas that even policeman also enjoys human rights.
A major difficulty with which our police force is confronted is shortage of manpower. There are innumerable police stations and police posts that are dismally understaffed. They cannot deliver goods with the shortage of man power. Despite the report of the House Panel submitted after survey in 2013 that police posts, stations and establishments need adequate number of constables, the Government has failed to respond. Various pretexts are put forth for continued shortage of manpower. There are severe bottlenecks in recruitment process of constables. Even there is shortage of about 400 sub inspectors. This huge shortage put together, immensely reduces the ability of the police to do justice to their duty. It was recommended by a panel of State Legislature that each police station should be provided with at least two women police officers and two constables. This was felt necessary in the light of increasing crime against the women in our country and the State. But no step has been taken in that direction. Apart from stereotyped recruitment process, the other bottleneck in making quick recruitment of vacancies of thousands of police constables is the bureaucratic lethargy and lack of a sense of responsibility. After thorough discussion on the issue with the senior police officers, the Departmental Related Standing Committee had recommended creation of new Police Stations on the felt requirements and reorganization of the existing Police Stations. But when the final proposal arrived at the Finance Ministry, it turned the proposal own saying that owing to financial crunch it was not possible for the Department to accept increasing the number of police stations.
The point needed to be emphasized is that armed insurgency has not totally died down. Day in and day out there happen militancy related incidents. During past one year, the frequency of attacks by the militants on police, CRPF and army camps have increased. The police are directly on their hit list. In such circumstances, it becomes unavoidable that police vigil is mounted extensively and the police are provided modern and sophisticated weapons and training to fight militancy which is already equipped with most modern weapons.
We are of the opinion that there should be modernization of entire police service. The vacancies of constables and sub-inspectors should be filled through special intensified recruitment schemes, modern and effective e weapons and regular fighting outfit like bullet proof vests and helmets be provided to all constables who are supposed to take part in action and above all the number of police stations and police posts should be increased and brought at par with the recommendations made by various agencies.
Follow our WhatsApp channel