GUWAHATI, June 11 ? The Police Reforms Committee has expressed the view that the most important requirement for reforms of the police force is improvement of the quality of manpower both as regards to the dealing of the police personnel with the public and their dedication to duty. The Committee headed by retired Director General of Assam Police N Changkakoty submitted its report to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi yesterday. Talking to The Assam Tribune today, Sri Changkakoty said that the Committee studied functioning of the Police force from the Police station level to the highest level and interacted with cross sections of people before formulating its recommendations.
The Committee chairman said that the Committee found that the common complaint against the police by the people is that the police personnel are prone to exhibiting their power and to misuse it. Though there are large number of police officers and men, whose conduct is quite commendable, rude behaviour towards people, high handed action, etc by some police men are tarnishing the image of the force. Allegations of corruption against some officers and men also widened the gulf between the force and common people, he added. The Committee found that the professional competence of the members of the Police force in general also need to be considerably improved to enable them to cope with the complex law and order situation and crime problems in present day scenario. Therefore, improvement of the human resource received highest priority of the Reforms Committee. The Committee recommended raising the educational standard for direct recruitment of constables, who constitute 70 per cent of the force. As per the recommendations, only candidates, who qualify in the HSLC examination with minimum 70 per cent marks should be eligible for recruitment as UB Constable. For recruitment in the armed branch and in the battalions, a candidate must pass the HSLC examination. For recruitment as sub inspectors, a candidate must obtain 45 per cent marks in the Higher Secondary Examination, the committee recommended. Similarly, the Committee recommended that a separate state selection commission headed by an officer of the rank of Additional DGP should be formed for selection of candidates for appointment as DSPs.
The Committee is of the view that a psychologist should be included in all the selection boards to prevent persons with wrong psychological traits from being appointed in the Police force. The Committee further suggested that the recruitment age should be lowered. To improve human resources, the Reforms Committee recommended that the duration of the basic training should be increased to two years so that the new recruits can be given a thorough training and to ensure that their attitude can be properly moulded. The Police training college at Dergaon should be upgraded to a State Police Academy headed by an officer of the rank of DIG and the instructional staff should be carefully selected taking into account the specialised training received by them both inside the country and abroad. The Committee also suggested that the instructional staff should be given a special allowance and a new faculty of humanities and human development, manned by qualified persons should be introduced in the Academy.
The Committee recommended that steps should be taken to improve the transport facilities, equipment, weapons, etc to enable the police personnel to function their duties properly and the tempo of the police housing should be accelerated to enable the police men to devote more time in their work. This will also reduce the risk factor considerably. The Reforms Committee suggested the need for improvement of the working condition of the Police Stations and said that there should be separate reception in each police station. The Committee found that the promotion prospects of the non-gazetted personnel are not satisfactory and recommended that ideally every personnel, subject to good service, should get at least three promotions in his or her career.
One of the major recommendations of the Committee is to separate the crime investigation work from the law and order and other duties so that a police officer entrusted with investigation with any case can devote full time and energy with that particular work. The Committee gave a number of recommendations for attending to the grievances of the people. The Committee said that any specific instance of public grievance appearing in any newspaper should be enquired into and steps should be taken to get newsitems on the action taken published.
In every police office from the level of SP and upwards, an officer should be entrusted with the job of receiving public grievances and if the officer concerned is unable to redress the same, he should refer the same to the competent authority without any delay. Every police station should hold meetings with the public of the area in presence of a senior officer of the district. In case any member of the public feels that his or her grievance was not attended to properly, he should be able to approach the Chief Secretary or the Additional Chief Secretary in charge of the Home Department after three months of approaching the police with the same.
The Committee recommended opening of more police stations with priority to border and riverine areas. The Committee also recommended that the range DIGs should be made more effective and a new range with its headquarter at Diphu should be opened. The Committee also stressed the need for surprise checks in the police offices to know the actual state of affairs. Sri Changkakoty pointed out that majority of the recommendations given by the Committee do not have financial implication and those can be implemented by the State Government without any delay.