'SMART' Police a need for India
When you think about the rampant corruption in India, the first organisation that comes to mind is the Indian Police force. Most citizens live in fear of this corrupt force; often considered to be subservient only to the highest bidder. I recall being often told that, 'being a woman, if one gets stranded somewhere,it is safer to ask a random stranger for help than go to a policeman.' Playing the Devil’s advocate however, I am compelled to give a thought to the working conditions of the Police.
Subservient to their senior officers, under staffed, under trained, under equipped and way under paid, the Police force however continues to plod along serving the people. While these shameful stories top our charts and are commonplace, stories of their heroic and patriotic acts generally go unreported and unrecognised.
Addressing the 49th Annual Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police and heads of all central police organisations in Guwahati, the Prime Minister called upon every police station to create a website, and upload every week a factual authentic story of good deeds done by them (police), with a view to change the perception of the Force and create a positive image among the people.
Modi asserted that sacrifices and contributions of the Police force should not be ignored. "Since independence, 33,000 police personnel have sacrificed their lives for the Nation. This is not a small number. Their sacrifices shouldn't go in vain. We cannot let their sacrifices go in vain. Their sacrifice cannot die."
Modi called for setting up a task force to suggest ways to institutionalise the memory of the deceased police personnel. He suggested that all state Police Academies have a book dedicated to the memory of Police personnel who died in action.
"The police is a protector force but is often not portrayed as such in Bollywood cinema. The mental image that people have of the police has to change" he added. Modi urged Indians to change their perception about the Police, and said there was a need to highlight the good work done by them. "The thinking of the people about our police force can change, and this can be done through knowing the ground realities. Through you (police) a lot of good things are happening in the Nation. Why can't positive stories be put on a web site?"
It was at this conference that Modi delivered his mantra for the Police. He said that it was time for making the Police of our Country a ‘SMART’ police force which is Strict and sensitive , Modern and mobile , Alert and accountable , Reliable and responsive, Trained and tech-savvy . The Prime Minister urged the officials to focus on building a quality intelligence network which he said, would ensure minimal use of force. He pointed out that from Chanakya's time, only those societies which had the most effective intelligence network were considered to be the most secured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the image of the Police has to change, and called for 'SMART' policing that would encompass sensitivity, reliability and modernity.
The prime minister also pressed the need to ensure the welfare of police personnel and their families. He said police personnel cannot perform well if their families were not taken care of. "Issues such as health of the families and education for the children of police personnel is a priority”. This would have come as a breath of fresh air for the Police personnel, and one can only hope that the Government views these issues seriously and takes some concrete steps to improve the situation for this force.
It may be a colossal task, yet, should the Prime Minister choose to focus on the state of policing in India, it can be the dawn of “acche din” for the law and order in the Country.
When you think about the rampant corruption in India, the first organisation that comes to mind is the Indian Police force. Most citizens live in fear of this corrupt force; often considered to be subservient only to the highest bidder. I recall being often told that, 'being a woman, if one gets...
When you think about the rampant corruption in India, the first organisation that comes to mind is the Indian Police force. Most citizens live in fear of this corrupt force; often considered to be subservient only to the highest bidder. I recall being often told that, 'being a woman, if one gets stranded somewhere,it is safer to ask a random stranger for help than go to a policeman.' Playing the Devil’s advocate however, I am compelled to give a thought to the working conditions of the Police.
Subservient to their senior officers, under staffed, under trained, under equipped and way under paid, the Police force however continues to plod along serving the people. While these shameful stories top our charts and are commonplace, stories of their heroic and patriotic acts generally go unreported and unrecognised.
Addressing the 49th Annual Conference of Directors General of Police / Inspectors General of Police and heads of all central police organisations in Guwahati, the Prime Minister called upon every police station to create a website, and upload every week a factual authentic story of good deeds done by them (police), with a view to change the perception of the Force and create a positive image among the people.
Modi asserted that sacrifices and contributions of the Police force should not be ignored. "Since independence, 33,000 police personnel have sacrificed their lives for the Nation. This is not a small number. Their sacrifices shouldn't go in vain. We cannot let their sacrifices go in vain. Their sacrifice cannot die."
Modi called for setting up a task force to suggest ways to institutionalise the memory of the deceased police personnel. He suggested that all state Police Academies have a book dedicated to the memory of Police personnel who died in action.
"The police is a protector force but is often not portrayed as such in Bollywood cinema. The mental image that people have of the police has to change" he added. Modi urged Indians to change their perception about the Police, and said there was a need to highlight the good work done by them. "The thinking of the people about our police force can change, and this can be done through knowing the ground realities. Through you (police) a lot of good things are happening in the Nation. Why can't positive stories be put on a web site?"
It was at this conference that Modi delivered his mantra for the Police. He said that it was time for making the Police of our Country a ‘SMART’ police force which is Strict and sensitive , Modern and mobile , Alert and accountable , Reliable and responsive, Trained and tech-savvy . The Prime Minister urged the officials to focus on building a quality intelligence network which he said, would ensure minimal use of force. He pointed out that from Chanakya's time, only those societies which had the most effective intelligence network were considered to be the most secured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the image of the Police has to change, and called for 'SMART' policing that would encompass sensitivity, reliability and modernity.
The prime minister also pressed the need to ensure the welfare of police personnel and their families. He said police personnel cannot perform well if their families were not taken care of. "Issues such as health of the families and education for the children of police personnel is a priority”. This would have come as a breath of fresh air for the Police personnel, and one can only hope that the Government views these issues seriously and takes some concrete steps to improve the situation for this force.
It may be a colossal task, yet, should the Prime Minister choose to focus on the state of policing in India, it can be the dawn of “acche din” for the law and order in the Country.
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