07-31-2008, 04:42 AM
<b> âPolicemen lack cutting edge to tackle terrorismâ</b>
Vinay Kumar
NEW DELHI: Even as the Union Home Ministry has sent advisories to the States to strengthen ground-level policing and spruce up special police branches for gathering intelligence, the cutting edge of police officers â right from beat constables to inspectors â do not have technological edge, lack expertise and motivation to deal with the threat of terrorism and smash tech-savvy terror networks.
Jolted by a series of blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad and recovery of unexploded bombs in Surat, the Home Ministry is giving a re-look at the basics of the core policing and involving citizens, voluntary groups and other sections of society to remain alert and act as a bulwark against the threat of terrorism. The Ministry has also prepared a blueprint for âmetro policingâ in cities like Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
Though it sounds ambitious, the fact remains that âbeat policingâ has taken a back seat even in the Capital, which is bursting at its seams with the population crossing 1.50 crore. âWith a pittance being offered to constables in Delhi Police, it is no surprise that they are turning out to be performers,â said a Delhi Police official who has put in nearly two decades of service.
Low salaries
<b>
Citing example of low salaries of a Delhi Police constable, which is pegged at Rs. 8,000 a month, the official said the force was so hard-pressed that their personnel did not find time to attend refresher or training courses which were important to sharpen their skills. While a beat constable is supposed to do his policing on a bicycle, an inspector gets a measly monthly conveyance allowance of Rs.500.</b>
âWith such low levels of financial package, the system encourages these personnel to take recourse to illegal means of fulfilling their basic needs which breeds corruption and affects their performance. These ranks â constables, head constables, assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors â are supposed to be on duty round the clock. The British concept of the police representing the brute force of the State and an instrument of repression has not at all changed even after 60 years of our Independence. That is why one finds human rights violations, cases of police excesses and atrocities,â the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted.
While Delhi is divided into 10 police districts which have nearly 135 police stations and a total force of nearly 65,000 personnel, the force has a sizeable chunk devoted for VIP security duties. Insiders in the force say that nearly half of the 2005 batch of sub-inspectors has left the force for greener pastures. âTypically, a sub-inspector will take nearly 17 years to be promoted to the rank of inspector and become an assistant commissioner of police before retirement,â the official said.
Regular briefings
Asked how well informed the constables were about terror threat, officials said Delhi Police regularly held briefings and updates on latest threats and terror outfits in police stations. In addition, each of the 10 police districts had to depend on a dog squad and a bomb disposal team which was insufficient.
Police personnel in Delhi and other metros can hope to be sensitised to some extent on terror threats, possible attacks but the state of preparedness of police forces in States left much to be desired, Ministry officials said.
In the wake of serial blasts, Gujarat has written to the Ministry that it was ready to set up a police university for research and training and would expedite the process to fill vacancies in its police force. Senior Ministry officials said the government has taken a serious view of the inability of the States to swiftly fill police vacancies.
Vinay Kumar
NEW DELHI: Even as the Union Home Ministry has sent advisories to the States to strengthen ground-level policing and spruce up special police branches for gathering intelligence, the cutting edge of police officers â right from beat constables to inspectors â do not have technological edge, lack expertise and motivation to deal with the threat of terrorism and smash tech-savvy terror networks.
Jolted by a series of blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad and recovery of unexploded bombs in Surat, the Home Ministry is giving a re-look at the basics of the core policing and involving citizens, voluntary groups and other sections of society to remain alert and act as a bulwark against the threat of terrorism. The Ministry has also prepared a blueprint for âmetro policingâ in cities like Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
Though it sounds ambitious, the fact remains that âbeat policingâ has taken a back seat even in the Capital, which is bursting at its seams with the population crossing 1.50 crore. âWith a pittance being offered to constables in Delhi Police, it is no surprise that they are turning out to be performers,â said a Delhi Police official who has put in nearly two decades of service.
Low salaries
<b>
Citing example of low salaries of a Delhi Police constable, which is pegged at Rs. 8,000 a month, the official said the force was so hard-pressed that their personnel did not find time to attend refresher or training courses which were important to sharpen their skills. While a beat constable is supposed to do his policing on a bicycle, an inspector gets a measly monthly conveyance allowance of Rs.500.</b>
âWith such low levels of financial package, the system encourages these personnel to take recourse to illegal means of fulfilling their basic needs which breeds corruption and affects their performance. These ranks â constables, head constables, assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors â are supposed to be on duty round the clock. The British concept of the police representing the brute force of the State and an instrument of repression has not at all changed even after 60 years of our Independence. That is why one finds human rights violations, cases of police excesses and atrocities,â the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted.
While Delhi is divided into 10 police districts which have nearly 135 police stations and a total force of nearly 65,000 personnel, the force has a sizeable chunk devoted for VIP security duties. Insiders in the force say that nearly half of the 2005 batch of sub-inspectors has left the force for greener pastures. âTypically, a sub-inspector will take nearly 17 years to be promoted to the rank of inspector and become an assistant commissioner of police before retirement,â the official said.
Regular briefings
Asked how well informed the constables were about terror threat, officials said Delhi Police regularly held briefings and updates on latest threats and terror outfits in police stations. In addition, each of the 10 police districts had to depend on a dog squad and a bomb disposal team which was insufficient.
Police personnel in Delhi and other metros can hope to be sensitised to some extent on terror threats, possible attacks but the state of preparedness of police forces in States left much to be desired, Ministry officials said.
In the wake of serial blasts, Gujarat has written to the Ministry that it was ready to set up a police university for research and training and would expedite the process to fill vacancies in its police force. Senior Ministry officials said the government has taken a serious view of the inability of the States to swiftly fill police vacancies.