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1.1 What is Stress? The word stress gets its name from the Latin word stringere meaning to draw tight. In the

15th century, the term was associated with troubles or pain. A century later, the meaning

shifted to encompass burden, force or pressure, especially on a person’s body or soul. In

the next Century, stress became synonymous with hardship, straits, adversity or

affliction. During the 18th and 19th Centuries, it meant, “force, pressure, strain or strong

effort”.

The word was borrowed into the social sciences from the field of engineering and

physics. In physics, it represents the internal force generated within a solid body in

response to the action of an external force distorting the body. While the external force

was called ‘lead’, the resulting distortion came to be known as ‘strain’. Hans Selye

(1936), known as “The father of modern stress”, brought to our attention, the concept of

stress in a medical sense to indicate overloading of the human body.

Stress is thus any non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it. “All

agents that we come into contact with, produce a non-specific increase in the need to

perform adaptive functions and thereby to reestablish normalcy. It does not matter if the

agent or situation we face were pleasant or unpleasant; all that counts are the intensity of

the demand for readjustment or adaption” noted Selye in 1974.

According to Generic Skills Integration Project (GENSIP) Stress refers to a normal,

universal human experience. Eustress or good stress, is stress which is beneficial to our

health. Examples include physical exercise or getting a promotion. Distress, on the other

hand, is stress that affects our health negatively and often is triggered by imbalances

between demands made upon us and our resources in dealing with such demands. The

latter is what most people refer to, when they harp about stress. However, if handled well

stress can be an agent of motivation and stimulus.

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Stress has been the subject of many a definition and theory. The interactionist model of

stress coined by Lazarus & Folkman (1984) was the pioneer among them. They identify

three key components in the process:

- The situation and demands

- Our subjective appraisal of the situation

- Our perceived resources for meeting the demands

These demands or situations may be related to financial problems, arguments, changes in

school/work circumstances, or any other changes. These are events, hassles or changes

that occur in our external environment triggering physical or psychological reactions.

They are sometimes referred to as stressors. Appraisal of the situation refers to how we

interpret the situation or demand. For a given event, while one person might see it as

stressful, another person may relish the challenge. Resources refer to our ability to cope

with the demand or stressor to deal with such possible or real problems. Again, in

response to another event, Person A and Person B, may perceive it as stressful. While

Person A believes she has the resources to cope, Person B might be totally lost, and thus

respond differently. While students may not be able to control a few of the demands

placed upon them, they can adapt the resources at their disposal by widening their

repertoire of coping strategies.

Stress is our body's way of responding to additional demands. It can be caused by both

good and bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around

them, their bodies respond by releasing chemicals into the blood stream. These chemicals

give people more energy and strength, which might be a good thing if physical danger is

a possibility. This can, however, be a negative trigger, if their stress is in response to

something emotional and there is no outlet to release this additional energy and strength.

1.1.1 Stress is a person's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition or a

stimulus. Stress is a body's way to react to a challenge. According to the stressful event,

the body's way to respond to stress is by activating the sympathetic nervous system

leading to the onset of the fight-or-flight response. Stress typically describes a negative

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condition or a positive condition that can affect an individual’s mental and physical well-

being.

1.1.2 Occupational stress is stress involving work. Stress is defined in terms of its

physical and physiological effects on a person, and presents as a mental, physical or

emotional strain. It can also be a tension or a situation or factor that can end up in stress.

Occupational stress can occur when there is a discrepancy between the demands of the

environment/workplace and an individual’s ability to carry out and complete these

demands. Frequently, a stressor can induce the body to have a physiological reaction

which can strain a person physically as well as mentally. A variety of factors contribute

to workplace stress such as unbalanced workload, isolation, extensive hours worked,

toxic work environments, lack of autonomy, difficult relationships among coworkers and

management, management bullying, harassment and lack of opportunities or motivation

to advance in one’s skill level.

Basically, stress may be classified into eustress and distress. Eustress is positive or good

stress, whereas distress is the stress reactions to those events or actions appraised as being

negative. Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including

psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) and other

types of emotional strain (e.g.,dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive

behaviors (e.g., aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g.,

concentration and memory problems). In turn, these conditions may take the form of poor

work performance, higher absenteeism, less work productivity or even injury. Job stress

is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to

compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease, or in extreme cases, even death.

There are a total of 5 categories associated with occupational stress, Viz:

a. Factors unique to the job

b. Role in the organization

c. Career development

d. Interpersonal work relationships

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e. Organizational Structure/climate

These individual categories demonstrate that stress can occur specifically when a conflict

stems from the job demands placed by the employer and the employee himself. If not

handled with care, the stress can become distress (medicine). The first category is related

to the ability of the employee coping with the specific hours worked, the level of

productive rate expected the physical environment, as well as the expectancy of the work

desired by management. For instance, research demonstrates that night shifts in

particular have a high tendency of adverse reaction towards the health of the employee.

In relation to this, approximately 20 percent of night shift workers have experienced

psycho-physiological dysfunctions, including heart diseases. Extreme factors can affect

the competence levels of employees. The second category, role in the organization, is

associated with the hierarchical ranking of that particular employee within the

organization. Upper management is entitled to oversee the overall functioning of the

organization. This cause's potential distress as the employee must be able to perform

simultaneous tasks. With the third category, career development, other factors come into

play. Securities of their occupation, promotion levels, etc. are all sources of stress, not to

mention the ever-changing market, technology, and scale of economic dominance. The

fourth category of workplace stress pertains to the interpersonal relationships within the

workplace. The workplace is a communication and interaction minefield. These

relationships (either developed or developing) can be problematic or positive. Common

stressors include harassment, discrimination, biased opinions, hearsay, and other

derogatory remarks. Finally, the last category of workplace stress is the organizational

climate or structure. The overall communication, management style, and participation

among groups of employees are variables to be considered. In essence, the resultant

influence of the high participation rate, collaborative planning, and equally dispersed

responsibilities provides a positive effect on stress reduction, improved work

performance, job satisfaction, and decreased psychosomatic disorders.

1.1.3 Work Stress is defined as “the harmful physical and emotional responses that

occur when the requirements of a job do not match the capabilities, resources or needs of

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the worker". (U.S Department of Health). The word stress is derived from the Latin word

"stringi", which means, "to be drawn tight". Stress can be defined as follows:

In medical terms stress is described as, "a physical or psychological stimulus that

can produce mental tension or physiological reactions that may lead to illness.”

According to Richard S Lazarus (1966), stress is a feeling experienced when a

person thinks that "the demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is

able to mobilize."

Box:1.0 Prajavani News Paper , 9th June 2011

Can anyone become a Police Officer?

Yes, anyone can become police officer. But they should meet the eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, set for different positions. For example, those who wish to join as police constables should have at least completed their High School. Those applying for the position of Sub-inspectors should be a graduate.

How can I become a Police Officer?

There are three ways through which a candidate is appointed to the police force. At the State level, you can join as a police constable and reach as high as Deputy Superintendent of Police or you can join as a sub-inspector and reach higher up to become Director General of Police.

Those who wish to apply for Constable and sub-inspector’s post has to write a written examination. Those who successfully pass this examination are called for physical test. Those who pass this stage are called to interview. After this, you need to take a medical check-up to prove that you are medically fit to the job and the final selection is made.

IPS Officers are selected at the Centre. Those who join at the grade of IPS officers are initially appointed as Deputy Superintendent or Deputy Commissioner of Police.

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1.1.4 Police Stress is defined as “An imbalance between what is required of an officer

and what the officer is capable of giving, under conditions where failure may have dire

consequences”. (Kolbell, 1995; Kureczka, 1996; McGrath, 1992). Stressors can be both

positive and/ or negative and a person’s reaction to a stressor is highly individualized and

dependent on the meaning that she attributes to an incident (Alexander, 1994a). How an

officer constructs her interpretation of the incident will determine how severe her reaction

would be (Everly, 1994a).

1.1.5 Work Stress in Police Department: In a police department, the police have to

work round the clock to keep public safe. Throughout the day, they are on duty without

breaks. This translates into less quality time spent with their family members, leading to

lack of concentration on their duty because of frustration. later on, this frustration

manifests into depression and they will lose interest in their job. If we keenly observe, out

of 100 police men, 80% of them will be having procrastinating attitude, impatience,

problems in interpersonal relations with co-workers and higher officers, irritability etc

which are the symptoms of Stress. And nowadays the suicide rates are on the rise in the

department.

1.2 What Causes Stress?

Many different things can cause stress -- from physical (such as fear of something

dangerous) to emotional (such as worry over your family or job.) Identifying the causes

of stress is often the first step in learning how to reduce one’s stress. Some of the most

common sources of stress are:

1.2.1 Survival Stress - One may have heard the phrase "fight or flight". This is a natural

response to danger among people and animals alike. When one is fearful of someone or

something physically hurting you, your body naturally responds with a burst of energy so

that you will be better able to survive the dangerous situation (fight) or escape it all

together (flight). This is survival stress.

1.2.2 Internal Stress - Have you ever caught yourself worrying about things you can do

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nothing about or worrying for no reason at all? This we call internal stress and are one of

the most important forms of stress to detect and manage. Internal stress is when people

make themselves stressed. This often happens when we worry about things we can't

control or put ourselves in situations we know will cause us stress. Some people relish the

hurried, tense lifestyle that results from being under stress. They even yearn for stressful

situations and feel stress about things that aren't stressful.

1.2.3 Environmental Stress - This is a response to things around you that cause stress,

such as noise, crowding, and pressure from work or family. Identifying these

environmental stresses and learning to avoid them or deal with them effectively will help

reduce your stress level.

1.2.4 Fatigue and Overwork - This kind of stress builds up over a long time and can take

a heavy toll on your body. It can be triggered by working too much or too hard at your

job(s), school, or home. It could also be caused by not knowing how to manage your time

efficiently or not taking time off for rest and relaxation. This can be one of the hardest

kinds of stress to avoid because many people feel this is out of their control. Later in the

course, we will discover various options and offer some useful tips for dealing with

fatigue.

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Box:1.1 Vijaya Karnataka, 20th February, 2013

Health Trouble: 120 Police Personnel die every year

PTI Mumbai

Extended working hours and high pressure in the work place has led to ill-health among police personnel. It is indeed remorseful that almost 120 policemen have died in Mumbai alone, in the past year.

According to the information made available for an RTI application, 1,341 policemen have died between 2002 and 12. While 25% of them have succumbed to heart attacks, 167 of them have committed suicide. Diabetes, blood-pressure and heart-related ailments are common among the staff of the police department.

An average of 15 policemen has committed suicide in the past one year. 687 personnel in the reserve police force and 86 personnel in Motor Transport department have succumbed to various ailments. Reserve Police need to be on high alert and be ready for any emergencies. Moreover they have to participate in training programs occasionally. All these factors play an adverse role on their health.

Niketh Kaushik, Police Commissioner (Crime), thus summarizes the situation of the police personnel, “We cannot bind the policemen with time limits. We need to depute them to any place. They may not get good food over there. All these may lead to illness”.

1.3 Effects of Stress We can very often feel the short-term effects of stress but may not be aware of its long-

term harmful effects. Apart from the physical symptoms like a pain in the shoulder or

digestive problems, there may arise emotional signs like frustration, anxiety, a lack of

interest or being overly sensitive. Our behaviour may change and we can’t eat too much,

drink too much, be irritable with other people or become withdrawn from society. All of

these are sure signs of stress.

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1.3.1 Short-term effects

The short term effects are the ones which arise for a short period of time. These could

range from a few minutes or a whole day, and recovery may be immediate without much

damage. They might be like -

1. Mind becomes alert - ready to act or react

2. Dilated pupils

3. Dry mouth

4. Tension in the neck and/or shoulders

5. Shallow breathing

6. Quickened heart rate

7. Elevated blood pressure

8. Sweaty palms

9. Feeling sick or having a ‘butterfly' stomach

10. Frequent urination

11. Constipation or diarrhea

If these short term effects are not treated properly they can cause severe damage.

1.3.2 Long-term effects

Long term effects are the ones which linger for more than a day and may persist for

month or years, or may even lead to death. Symptoms include:

1. Headaches

2. Dizziness

3. Blurred vision

4. Ulcers

5. Hyperventilation, asthma, palpitations

6. High blood pressure

7. Heart and artery disorders

8. Sweating more than normal

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9. High blood sugar

10. Nervous indigestion

11. Disturbed sleep patterns

12. Difficulty swallowing

13. Neck and back problems

14. Bowel disorders

15. Rashes, allergies

16. Sexual difficulties

Once these changes are detected in our body, immediate steps should be taken to

overcome stress, or else it may cause severe damage to our mind or body.

Box: 1.2 Samyuktha Karnataka, Hubli, 30th May 2013

Refusal for granting Leave: SI under a Life-threat

Even as the news of a constable killing SI by firing bullets, for not granting leave in Rajanukunte Police Station in Bangalore Rural District, is afresh in our minds, a similar incident had almost occurred in Magadi Police Station.

There was an argument between a constable and Sub-inspector regarding granting of leave. PSI Bhaskar had threatened to shoot, by touching the revolver in his belt. The constable Naveen, who was provoked by this action snatched the rifle from the Sentry and created havoc in the station shouting that he would kill Bhaskar for more than one-and-half hours.

The station staff tensed by this incident, tried to console Constable Naveen, petrified that another incident like that of Rajanukunte might occur. As PSI Bhaskar did not come to the station for more than one-and-half hours, a terrible fate seems to have warded off. The staff finally was able to console Naveen and successfully took away the rifle and bullets from him.

Reason for the incident: Naveen was appointed as a Constable to Magadi Police Station about four years back. PSI Bhaskar has been

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appointed as in-charge PSI for the past 5 days ago. There was not much communication between Naveen and Bhaskar from the day he took charge. On May 27th after the Diamond-studded Kireeta was presented to Tirumale Ranganathaswamy, Naveen went home after completing his duty hours.

Naveen had taken a day’s leave unofficially and went to his native place. There was an argument between PSI Bhaskar and Naveen, regarding this issue, which resulted in all these tensions.

SP Visit: District Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal and Dy.SP Ramalingappa visited the Station, in the wake of unpleasant incident in Magadi Police Station. They obtained information from in-charge PSI Bhaskar and CPI Krishnakumar.

There was an argument between Constable Naveen and PSI Bhaskar

over the issue of leave. PSI Bhaskar had rebuked for taking leave.

The effects of stress include the following: 1. Stress can cause chronic fatigue, digestive ailments, headaches, and back pain.

2. Stress can affect the blood cells that help you fight off infection, so you are more

prone to be infected by colds or other diseases.

3. Constant stress can elevate blood pressure and can increase the risk for stroke.

4. Stress can increase the occurrence of heart attacks particularly if you are often

angry and mistrustful.

5. Stress can make an asthma attack worse.

6. Stress triggers behaviors that contribute to death and disability, such as smoking,

alcoholism, drug abuse, and overeating.

7. Stress can lead to diminished sexual desire and an inability to achieve orgasm.

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8. Stress makes it harder to take remedial steps to rejuvenate health, such as giving

up smoking or making better dietary choices.

Box:1.3 Deccan Herald, May 16th

`Stress Management is Critical'

By Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MAY 16. Devaraj has been with the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) force for the past 20 years. He is not new to the pressures of work, which has taken a heavy toll on his body.

"At times there is a feeling of numbness in my hands. It even stops me from shaving my beard. On some occasions, I get worked up, "he says. On getting treatment? "Where is the time?" he would say. Those who know how the police are overworked would understand his plight.

But Sunday was a day off for him to undergo a health check-up.

He was among the many others who came with family members to the "free health check-up" camp organised by the KSRP in association with Manipal Hospital and Manipal Heart Foundation at the KSRP residential quarters.

Rama Rao, who is also with the KSRP, had come to the camp complaining of giddiness. He had brought an X-ray report from St. John's Hospital to show to the doctors.

Stress related health disorders have been found to be common in these men, who often are deputed to far-off places for law and order duties.

According to Dr. Devanand, improper food intake and unbroken stress cycle would make people prone to hypertension. "They need to adopt measures to break away from the stress cycle," he adds. T. Madiyal, Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, says: "The policemen lead a life of uncertainty. They are not sure of the time when they can be off duty. This makes it difficult for them to look after their health and also that of their family members," he says.

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1.4 Coping with Stress

Box: 1.4 Bangalore: The former Chairman of the Legislative Council B.K. Chandrashekar has urged all political parties to agree to the need for police reforms.

Prof. Chandrashekar, a member of the Governing Council of the India chapter of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, has been in the forefront of a movement seeking police reforms. “I also suggest that all political parties declare in their manifestos for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections that they will usher in police reforms on the lines indicated by the Supreme Court, within four months of assuming office.”

He told Hindu The here that most people have something to do with the police since they are charged with the responsibility of protecting law-abiding citizens and bringing to justice those who break the law. The police, like the rest of the bureaucracy, are answerable to the Government and to the legislature. The efficiency and accountability of the police depend on their freedom to function without political or other pressure.

However, there has been deterioration in the integrity and credibility of the police force, which is unable to resist powerful political interference, according to Prof. Chandrashekar. A large section of the force has resorted to the line of least resistance by going along with the political establishment so that frequent transfers can be avoided, ‘lucrative’ posts obtained and promotions ensured.

Prof. Chandrashekar said the police reforms should be in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court. The apex court has directed the constitution of a State Security Commission to prevent unwarranted influence or pressure on the police by the Government, lay down broad policy guidelines and evaluate the performance of the State police.

Further, steps should be taken to ensure that the Director-General of Police is appointed through a merit-based, transparent process and enjoys a minimum tenure of two years. Other police officers on operational duties (including Superintendent of Police in charge of a district and Station House Officers in charge of a police station) should also have a minimum tenure of two years.

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One of the methods of stress management is called the TARP method, and it has been

proven effective for many. A tarp is a protective cover thrown over something - a car or

boat, for example - to protect it from the elements. Likewise, the TARP method offers a

form of protection, too - protection against the distressing and sometimes harmful effects

of stress.

The TARP method teaches simple techniques that can be used anytime, anywhere, to

control your response to stressful situations. It consists of four steps:

T is for "Tune in" - Get into the habit of noticing early signs of stress.

A is for "Analyze" - Think about the source or causes of your stress.

R is for "Respond" - Deal with the cause of your stress, and its effects on you.

P is for "Prevent" - Develop good stress-reduction habits for a healthier lifestyle.

In addition to the TARP method, other activities and methods also can help manage

stress.

"Tune in"

Tuning in is important, because if you don't tackle your stress early, it can interfere with

your sense of well being and your health almost before you know it. And the effects of

stress often get worse as time goes on.

Whenever you notice early signs of stress - for example, when you feel irritable, tense,

distracted, or fatigued - scan yourself for signs of stress.

“Analyze"

Once you know how to "tune in" to your signs of stress, you will be better able to analyze

the situations that are stressful to you. These "stressors," as they are called, could be

either external or internal.

External stressors are things and events outside your body that can make you feel

threatened or out of control. For example:

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Physical irritants like noise, pollution, heat, or humidity

Work demands or conditions

Frightening events, like narrowly escaping a traffic accident

Social or family demands, changes, or problems

Internal stressors result from one's own attitudes and thinking patterns. For example:

Do you always talk to yourself with words like "should, must, and ought?" Do you feel

like a failure if you are late, or if things don't go as planned?

Do you have "I lost" syndromes, feeling you have to look after everyone else's needs

before you think of your own?

Do you feel worthless unless everyone likes you all the time?

Are you guilty of "awful-izing," which means always expecting the worst? For example,

if family members are late, do you often imagine they are injured or dead?

"Respond"

"Responding" in the days of early man meant fighting the source of stress or running

away from it. Your body will still produce a physical "alarm response" that pumps stress

hormones through your body, tensing your muscles and speeding up your heart. This

"alarm response" in most cases doesn't do us any good - and it can be harmful.

You can learn to turn off the alarm response and regain control. You can learn to respond

calmly, and deal actively and positively with your stress, whether it is caused by outside

or internal factors.

Four useful techniques for responding calmly are:

1. Time out. A brief time out is the simplest possible approach to stress: Stop the activity

(or the conversation) that was causing you stress. You could move away, go to another

room, or take a short walk. If this is not possible, count to 10 silently before you speak

again.

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2. Breathing. You can often tell if people are under stress because of the way they are

breathing. For example, customs officers have noticed that smugglers are the people

taking fast, shallow breaths. If you learn to control your breathing, it will help you regain

control over the effects of stress.

For a variation on this breathing technique, try "10-to-one countdown" breathing:

Start with abdominal breathing, letting all the breath out and then allowing your abdomen

to expand as your lungs fill up again.

When you breathe out again, say "10," letting go of tension as if it is being carried out of

your body with the air.

Next time you breathe out, say "nine," and so on, all the way down till "one." When you

reach "one," start all over again.

Each time you breathe out, remind yourself that you are letting go of tension.

Many people repeat this sequence slowly for a period of 15 to 20 minutes. They find that

with each new countdown, they reach a deeper level of relaxation.

When we are under stress, we often feel things are happening too fast. Another technique,

called slow-down breathing, can help you get settled down and in control. It starts with

abdominal breathing, and uses cue words to help you focus and clear your mind.

Examples of cue words are:

As you breathe in, silently say "calm". As you breathe out, silently say "smiling". As you

breathe in, say "present". As you breathe out, say "now"

Practice breathing techniques for five to 10 minutes until you get the feel of it, then again

several times a day for a few moments. Then it will be instantly ready to use as a "mini-

tranquilizer" whenever you notice yourself starting to feel tense or out of control.

3. Progressive muscle relaxation. This technique will help you get rid of the muscle

tension that is a major sign of uncontrolled stress, and which can lead to headaches, back

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pain, and muscle pulls. It is based on the principle that muscles go to a deeper level of

relaxation after they have been tensed.

Lie down on the floor, on a firm bed, or sit in a chair that has good head support. Close

your eyes and breathe deeply twice or thrice.

Next, tighten the muscles in different regions of your body in turn; keep them tight while

you count silently to five; then let go and imagine the tension dissipating as you relax and

smoothen the muscles.

Starting with your face, squint your eyes, tighten your teeth and jaw, and wrinkle your

forehead. Feel the tension while you count silently to five, and then let go of it. Feel the

warmth of relaxation enveloping your face.

Next, pull your shoulders up until they nearly touch your ears. Feel the tension while you

count silently to five. Then let go.

Now progress through the rest of your body, tightening muscles while you count slowly

to five, then letting the tension go. Start with your stomach and chest muscles, then your

lower abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. Finish with your lower legs, curling up your toes

and tightening calf muscles to feel the tension in your foot, ankle, calves, and the knees.

When you have finished, notice the tension and relief in all your muscles. Breathe deeply

a few times, and feel relaxed, refreshed, and comfortable.

4. Thought-stopping. This is a good technique for dealing with stress that comes from

your own negative feelings. When you notice negative thoughts, just say "stop!" to

yourself. It may sound too simple to be effective - but it works, even though you may

have to repeat the word several times until the negative thoughts are interrupted.

Sometimes, using mental images can help you stop the negative thoughts:

Imagine that the negative thoughts are coming from a tape recorder, and that you can

push the "stop" button or turn down the volume to zero.

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Imagine sticky paper that catches your negative thoughts as they fly about. Imagine a

"stop" sign that blocks your negative thoughts.

Imagine a box that your negative thoughts get trapped in.

Imagine you are driving through a car wash that washes the thoughts away.

"Prevent"

There are simple things you can do to help your body and mind withstand stress. These

will help you improve your immune system, your energy level, your self-esteem, and

your sense of well-being.

1. Relaxation. Relaxing regularly will help prevent stress.

Set aside just 15 minutes every day, whether you are feeling stressed or not.

Go through whatever relaxation procedures work best for you. Techniques such as yoga

and stretching can be effective, as can progressive muscle relaxation.

2. Regular exercise. If you know people who run, swim, or bicycle regularly, you may

notice that they have less stress than others. When your body is in first-class condition,

your mind and emotions will also benefit. Regular exercise is one excellent way to

“stress-proof” yourself, or at reduces the bad effects of stress.

Exercise can make you look better, sleep better, concentrate better, and withstand disease

better. It will also improve your mood and make you feel better about yourself. The best

exercise for stress-proofing is aerobic activity, which uses your whole body. This

includes jogging, bicycling, brisk walking, cross-country skiing, aerobic dancing,

swimming, rowing, skating, and stair-stepping.

If you are not used to exercise, start with walking. Walk briskly for about 20 minutes,

three times a week.

As you get in shape, take longer walks, or switch to a more vigorous form of activity.

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If you don't have access to a lake, mountain, or country road to row, ski, or bike on,

substitute on machines at home or in a gym. But whenever you can, get out into nature.

The quietness and change of scene will help your stress levels.

Other ways to manage stress:

In addition to the relaxation practices described in the "TARP" method, there are many

activities and methods that can help manage stress. These include:

• Humor

• Hobbies

• Meditation

• Biofeedback

• Massage therapy

Humor:

Many stress-management experts recommend keeping a sense of humor during difficult

situations. Laughing releases muscle tension and helps a person maintain perspective.

Activities as simple as watching a funny movie, listening to a tape of a comedian's

routine, or sharing time with a humorous friend can provide a psychological boost and

relieve stress.

Hobbies:

Regular leisure activities are important in reducing stress. Many people benefit from

making time for positive leisure pursuits rather than, for example, spending time

watching television in the evening (although that, too, can be relaxing to some degree).

Relaxing hobbies include gardening, painting, bicycling, photography, carpentry,

collecting, and many others. In order to obtain the most relaxation and enjoyment, the

satisfaction should come in doing the hobby, not in the results. An individual who

pursues gardening for relaxation may not grow prize-winning vegetables, but they can be

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eaten. An amateur photographer may not sell photographs, but they can be admired by

friends and family.

Meditation:

Meditation reduces heart rate, blood pressure, adrenaline levels, and skin temperature.

There are a variety of meditation techniques that share a common goal: to achieve

relaxation by clearing the mind of stressful outside interferences. Meditation involves

achieving a state of consciousness in which the individual focuses on a single thing, such

as a key word, sound, or image.

Meditation techniques rely on quiet surroundings, sitting still, and a repetitive mental

pattern. Various techniques are taught in instruction books and through religious and

nonreligious organizations.

Biofeedback:

Biofeedback provides a way for people to learn to control activities over which they

normally have no awareness, such as heart rate and muscle tension. It is considered by

many health professionals to be a valuable therapeutic tool for reducing stress.

Biofeedback involves no discomfort and no risk.

Biofeedback relies on sensitive electronic equipment. Sensors are placed on the body at

various locations to measure skin temperature and muscle activity. The sensors are

attached to a monitor that detects fluctuations when a person is anxious and displays

signals in the form of beeps or light flashes. By watching the monitor, a person learns to

control these stressful responses.

Massage therapy:

Massage is the gentle practice of manipulating the body's tissues in order to soothe and

heal. It is one of the most ancient of the healing arts, and more people today are relying

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on it for natural, drug-free relief from the effects of busy, overstressed lives. Massage can

relax the entire body and provide new energy that lingers long after the massage is over.

A number of research studies have shown that massage reduces heart rate, lowers blood

pressure, increases blood circulation and lymph flow, relaxes muscles, improves range of

motion, and increases the production of endorphins, which are the body's own natural

painkillers. There are a number of massage therapy techniques, including Swedish

massage and Shiatsu.

How to reduce stress in the workplace:

Positive job factors can play an important part in keeping stress in check. Having

supportive co-workers, managing time effectively, being active in social groups and not

taking work home with you are effective ways to minimize stress.

Management can provide invaluable assistance to employees (and themselves) by setting

effective stress management techniques. Some of the vital ways to do this are:

1. Set realistic goals and priorities: encourage employees to be part of the priority-

setting process. When they feel they are part of the decision, they are more likely to

take responsibility, rather than grumble about "my nasty boss" and "this terrible

place".

2. Encourage good time-management techniques: planning for important activities,

scheduling them in advance, following up with others, and keeping good records

help people get things accomplished on time and realize their value. Take time to

make note of successes and projects accomplished.

3. Take short breaks after a particularly stressful event, encourage employees to take a

5 minute walk around the block or a few minutes of quiet meditation to re-balance

their energies. Several short breaks throughout the day enable employees work at

peak performance.

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4. Rehearse and prepare: being prepared reduces stress. Be prepared in advance of

stressful situations for all possible outcomes.

5. Don’t procrastinate: procrastination and delay breeds stress! Eliminate items which

won’t/can’t get done and do those that are important first.

6. Know your limits: be realistic about what you can accomplish.

7. Change your attitudes. Think of stressful situations as a challenge to your creative

thinking. Know that eventually everything will either get done or it won’t -

worrying won’t make it better.

8. Learn to say "no": when your schedule is full, say "no" to activities you don’t enjoy,

to unrealistic demands, to responsibilities that aren’t yours. Doing this with tact and

diplomacy takes some practice and may require special training.

9. Schedule your stress: stagger known stressful activities and prepare for known

stress in advance.

10. Encourage employees to treat their body right: eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep,

and exercise regularly. Companies that encourage employees to take a "fruit break"

or 5-minute walk find the employees will work more effectively than if they are

"hyped" by cigarette/coffee breaks and little physical exercise in their jobs.

11. Encourage positive self-talk: use positive self-reinforcement affirmations, like "I

can handle this one step at a time" and "Somehow the whole team will work this

out".

12. Give positive reinforcement: make sure that all managers and supervisors tell

people when they do a good job, complement them on their neat offices or

conscientious work habits.

13. Set up employee recognition programs: "Employee of the Month" or "Creative

Suggestion" systems encourage people to do a good job. Everyone needs a pat on

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the back and a sense of being a valuable person. Constant criticism is counter-

productive and causes hard feelings. A daily positive comment goes a long way, at

no cost!

14. Take responsibility: encourage employees to take responsibility for their own job

and for their contribution to the success of the company as a whole. This

encourages a feeling of control over their life. Let them know how important their

efforts are to the overall plan.

15. Provide a sympathetic ear: often stressful situations can be managed, if there is

someone who is willing to listen to the employee’s concerns and provide positive

encouragement that they will get through the problem. For many people, 15

minutes of a sympathetic listener can cancel out many days of otherwise

unproductive worry.

16. Most important, maintain a sense of humor. As a wise philosopher said, "Don’t

take life so seriously, it’s only a hobby". Try to remember what was stressful in

your life six months ago or a year ago. Chances are, you can’t. Know that this day

will be just another day in history and whatever seems traumatic now will fade into

oblivion as time passes.

Laughter is the medicine of the gods and great medicine for humans, too!

1.5 Introduction to Karnataka State Police

1.5.1 The Karnataka State Police which patrols the state of Karnataka, India. The State

Police is headed by the Director General and Inspector General of Police. The office is at

the Police Headquarters, Nrupathunga Road, Bangalore.

There are several wings in the Department. In the discharge of his duties, he is assisted by

staff officers in the headquarters and officer’s in-charge of special and various field units.

The police administration in each District is headed by an Officer of the rank of

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Superintendent of Police. A group of districts are put under one Range and there is an

Officer of the rank of Inspector General of Police heading each Range in Karnataka State.

The Police administration in Bangalore City is headed by Commissioner of Police of the

rank of Addl. DGP and Mysore and Hubli- Dharwad Cities headed by Commissioners of

Police of the rank of Dy. Inspector General of Police. All these Officers report to the

Director General and Inspector General of Police, Karnataka as citied in Chart: 1.5.1

The Police Stations are the lowest functional units of the police department. There are at

present 805 Police Stations. The Police Stations are headed by Inspectors in towns and

cities. In these Police Stations there are 2-4 Sub Inspectors, besides a number of Assistant

Sub- Inspectors, Head Constables and 79 Police Constables. (On an average)

In rural areas the Police Stations are headed by either a single Sub- Inspector or two Sub-

Inspectors looking after Law and Order and Crime according to the importance of the

police station. In rural Police Stations there is at least 30 staff. (On an average)

The rural Police Stations are grouped into circles and circles come under a Sub-Division.

The Sub-Divisions are headed by Deputy Superintendents of Police and Circles by

Inspectors of Police. There is a rule that among 100% police appointments, 10% lady

police should be appointed.

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Chart: 1.5.1 Organization Chart of Karnataka State Police

 

 

 

 

  

   

Director General & Inspector

General of Police

Inspector General of Police

Southern Range, Mysore

Inspector General of Police

Western Range, Mangalore

Inspector General of Police

Central Range, Bangalore

Inspector General of Police

Northern Range, Belgaum

Inspector General of Police

Eastern Range, Davangere

Director General & Inspector

General of Police

Inspector General of Police

Southern Range, Mysore

Inspector General of Police

Western Range, Mangalore

Inspector General of Police

Central Range, Bangalore

Inspector General of Police

Northern Range, Belgaum

Inspector General of Police

Eastern Range, Davangere

Dy.IGP, Commissioner of Police, Hubli & Dharwad City. 

Addl.DGP, Commissioner of

Police, Bangalore City.

Inspector General of Police Northern Eastern Range, Gulbarga 

Inspector General of Police

Dy.IGP, Commissioner of Police, Mysore

City.

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Table No. 1.0: Showing the Police Ranges and the districts comprising each range:-

RANGE DISTRICTS

SOUTHERN RANGE, MYSORE Mysore Kodagu Mandya Hassan

Chamarajnagar district is attached to commander task force, MM Hills for special reasons for the time being.

WESTERN RANGE, MANGALORE

Dakshina Kannada Uttar Kannada Chickmaglur Udupi

EASTERN RANGE, DAVANGERE

Chitradurga Bellary Shimoga Davangere

CENTRAL RANGE, BANGALORE

Tumkur Kolar Bangalore K.G.F.

NORTHERN RANGE, BELGAUM

Belgaum Bijapur Dharwad Bagalkot Haveri Gadag

NORTH EASTERN RANGE, GULBARGA

Gulbarga Bidar Raichur Koppal

Apart from the three Commissionerates, there are 29 Police units including Karnataka

Gold Field (KGF) and Railways.

1.5.2 Mission Statement of Police Department

We, the members of Karnataka Police, shall uphold the Law and the Rights of all

people for a safe and secure environment, conducive to their internal and external

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growth and development. Towards this end, department set for the following objectives.

1.5.3 Objectives of Police Department

• Protect the lives and liberties of the people from criminal and anti- social elements

• Earn the good will, support and active assistance of the community.

• Co-ordinate with other departments of criminal Justice System.

• Equal treatment regardless of caste, religion, social and economic status or

political affiliations.

• Promote human rights and show special consideration for women, children, senior

citizens and weaker sections.

• Strive to improve professional knowledge, skills and attitudes and adopt modern

methods in police work.

• Promote human rights and professional values of integrity, honesty and efficiency.

Accept and play our role in social transformation and bring about improvement in

the quality of life with society.

1.5.4 Basic Duties and Responsibilities of Police

Basic duties of the Police include maintenance of Law and Order, prevention and

detection of crime, traffic management, and enforcement of various laws of the land.

I. Investigation of crime

II. Law and order

III. Unnatural deaths

IV. Traffic

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V. Services

VI. Natural calamity / manmade disaster

VII. Redressal of public grievances

VIII. Control room

IX. Duties of citizens

Citizen's Rights:

The citizens have certain rights with reference to the duties of the Police as stated above.

As a step towards transparency and accountability in administration, a Citizens charter

has been issued with reference to the duties to be performed by the Police Officers in

Karnataka State.

I. Investigation of Crime

Any citizen who has knowledge of preparation or commission of any crime or who has

any complaint to make with reference to the duties of the Police as enumerated above

may approach the Police Station and give such information available with him or her.

The information is presented in the form of FIR, First Information Report

II. Law and Order:

While on duty, Police officers shall be accessible to members of public. It is the duty of

every Police Officer in charge of an area to keep it peaceful and the public satisfied with

the security afforded to persons and property. The jurisdiction of every Police Station is

normally divided into convenient areas for service of beats by the Station House Officer

by deputing Police Constables/ Head Constables. It is the duty of every Police officer to

take all steps necessary, in proper time, to prevent breach of peace or serious riots. In the

event they take place, all measures shall be taken by him with utmost speed to bring the

situation back to normal. Every Police Officer shall maintain close liaison with the

important citizens of the area through citizens' committee, peace committee and mohalla

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committee for the maintenance of peace in the area. It is the duty of every Police Officer

to take firm action against antisocial elements, goondas and rowdies in that area. It is the

duty of the Police to maintain public order during fairs and festivals, public functions,

processions, strikes, agitations etc. No Police Officer shall discriminate on grounds of

race, caste, community, language, religion, region, sex or political affiliation.

III. Unnatural Deaths:

Under the Law, the police officers are required to find out the cause of death in cases

where they receive information that a person has committed suicide or has been killed by

another person or by an animal or machinery or by an accident or has died under

circumstances raising a reasonable suspicion of foul play.

If the body is unidentified, the investigating officer makes a record of the descriptive

particulars of the dead-body and takes the finger impression of the deceased. The

photograph of the deceased is taken. These descriptive particulars are circulated to all the

surrounding stations. An inventory is prepared regarding the articles of clothing,

jewellery, documents and other articles found on or near the dead body. The dead body is

forwarded to the Competent Medical Officer for the purpose of post-mortem

examination. In case the identity of the deceased is known, the relatives of the deceased

are informed by the Police regarding the unnatural death. After the Medical Officer's

examination is completed, the Police shall, unless they have received orders from a

competent authority to the contrary, hand over the dead body to the relatives or friends of

the deceased.

IV. Traffic

All Motor Vehicle accidents where any person is injured or any property is damaged, the

driver of the vehicle or other person in charge of the vehicle should report about the

occurrence of the accident at the nearest Police Station as soon as possible and in any

case within 24 hours of the occurrence. It is the duty of the drivers of the vehicle involved

in an accident to take all reasonable steps to secure medical attention for the injured

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persons. It is the duty of all the Registered Medical Practitioners to give medical

assistance to any injured person involved in a road accident brought to him or her by any

Police personnel or citizen.

The Police Officer who first arrives at the scene of an accident should render such first

aid as possible in respect of the injured person in the road accident and take immediate

necessary steps to procure medical aid or send the injured person without loss of time to

the nearest hospital or any registered medical practitioner for treatment.

V. Services:

Every Citizen who wishes to possess a fire arm may apply to the District

Magistrate/Commissioner of Police giving the reasons for the possession of weapon. The

licensing authority for the grant of Fire Arm license is the Commissioner of Police in the

areas where the commissionrates exist and in the other areas, the District Magistrate of

the concerned districts. The License is granted in respect of a Fire Arm of the non-

prohibited category to acquire and possess for self protection by the Citizen. The District

Magistrate or the Commissioner of Police to whom the application is made has the power

to issue the license restricting the validity to the district level only. In suitable cases the

validity could be extended to the state level by the Commissioner of Police or the District

Magistrate as the case may be. The power to extend the validity of the license to cover

the whole country vests with the State Government.

After due verification of antecedents as well as the necessity to possess the fire arm

sought for, such license will be granted after collecting prescribed fee.

VI. Natural Calamity/Man Made Disaster:

It will be the duty of every Police Officer to render such measures as appears necessary

for the preservation of life and property and the maintenance of law and order. All

possible assistance should be rendered by the Police to the Civil Defense, Revenue,

Public Works, Railways, Fire force and other Departments engaged in rescue, relief and

rehabilitation work, so that remedial measures taken may be expeditious and effective.

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VII. Redressal of Public Grievances:

Citizens who may have any grievances against the Police may complain in respect of

their grievances to the following authorities:

Office of the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Nrupathunga Road,

Bangalore -I.G.P. Grievances & Human Rights Cell. Complaints of any citizen from any

part of Karnataka State may be made to this officer. Commissioner of Police, Bangalore

City, Infantry Road, Bangalore DCP (Administration). Complaints of any citizen from

any part of Bangalore City may be made to this officer. Commissioner of Police, Hubli-

Dharwad City DCP (Crime). Complaints of any citizen from any part of Hubli-Dharwad

City may be made to this officer. Commissioner of Police, Mysore City DCP (Crime).

Complaints of any citizen from any part of Mysore City may be made to this officer.

Complaints from any citizen residing within the limits of any District may be made to the

officer designated as Deputy Superintendent of Police whose office is located in that

particular district headquarters. In the case of Railways such complaints from the citizens

may be addressed to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Railways), Bangalore, whose

office is located at Bangalore City, Railway station.

VIII. Control Room:

Police Control Rooms shall work all the 24 hours in the district

headquarters/Commissionerates. In case of emergency, public can contact the Control

Room by dialing telephone 100 for immediate police assistance.

IX. Duties of Citizens:

According to Article 51A of the Constitution of India, it is the duty of every citizen of

India to safe guard public property and to abjure violence. The law also makes it

compulsory for the citizens to report to the police, if they have witnessed or they have

any information about the following offences made punishable under the Law.

(a) Offences against the State.

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(b) Offences against public tranquility.

(c) Offences relating to adulteration of food and drugs etc.

(d) Offences affecting life.

(e) Offences relating to kidnapping for ransom.

(f) Offences of theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in

order to the committing of the theft.

(g) Offences of robbery and dacoity.

(h) Offences relating to Criminal Breach of Trust by public servant.

(i) Offences of mischief against property.

(j) Offences of house or lurking house trespass as specified in Sections 449 and 450

Indian Penal code.

(k) Offences relating to currency notes and bank notes. Omission to give such

information is punishable in Law.

It is the duty of the Citizens to co-operate with the Police in investigation of the case at

the time of drawing up search and seizure Mahazar, spot Mahazar or inquest

proceedings in the interest of furthering criminal justice.

Box:1.5 Prajavani, 9th June 2011

What are the reasons for indiscipline in the Police Force?

It is essential for us to contemplate on the reasons as to why a person becomes corrupt in years.

In my opinion many people have lost the moral strength to say no to an opportunity to make money. There are many officers in the grades of constables and sub-inspectors, who have been honest throughout their service years. But I believe that their number is decreasing every

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year. Many people ask me in gatherings that would such corruption and bribery would come to an end if we increase the salary of police officials. I clearly say that whatever amount they earn, some people tend to look for openings to earn through illegal means.

When all of us feel that the salary and facilities being given to IAS officers is quite a handful, there is this incident of an IAS couple in Madhya Pradesh who had amassed a wealth of more than 300 Crores. As a matter of fact, the salary and facilities being given to police officers in our state is quite satisfactory.

Then where does the problem lie? In my opinion, the problem primarily lies in the fact that the higher officials not keeping an eye on their subordinates. When I joined the force, Police Superintendent and District Police Chief must and should have to conduct annual inspection of every police station and had to critically analyze the performance of every policeman and had to write their opinion in their duty book. A single constable’s performance was analyzed at least thrice in a year.

But the situation is different now. The inspections of police stations are conducted once in a while. Even then it is not up to the mark. No one will scrutinize the performance of police staff. Therefore, for this reason the policemen might feel that no one would bother about them. Previously, police staff had to participate in Class March twice in a week. The higher officials would measure the professionalism of their juniors and also would hear to their problems. But in these days, this march happens once in a while.

It is essential to involve the staff in training programs from time to time to increase their professional conduct. In these days, the importance of police training is on the lower rung. Many of them do not participate in any additional training programs except the basic training course at the time of joining. Therefore, it is natural that professionalism is on the decrease and indiscipline is on the high.

Police Department is a disciplined department. It is essential that we maintain discipline in this department all the time. In those days, the higher ups would suitably punish their juniors even for their smallest mistakes. If one sees the statistics of instances of disciplinary actions,

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one would faint.

It appears to me that the higher officials have the strength to tolerate the indiscipline of their subordinates. The number of officials losing their job after being accused of a major issue is decreasing. Therefore, the officials are developing a mentality that whatever mistake they do, no one would bother about them. As many police officers have a feeling that even if they are caught, they would somehow get away easily, no one is bothered about disciplinary actions.

Supreme Court has given many guidelines to the improvement of Police Department in the Case of Prakash Singh. One of them is to set up district level and state level committees to hear the allegations against the police officers. If such committees are set up and work efficiently, maybe the complaints against the police officers might reduce.

But in my opinion, if a police officer who is treading the wrong path should be brought on track, it is essential immediate, efficient and suitable disciplinary action should be taken against such officials. As long as our officials develop an attitude like ‘andiriki manchivaadu anantayya’ and bear the offenses of alleged officials, as long as there is not enough importance to police training, until then those police officers who tread on the wrong path, will not attempt to correct themselves.

Dr. D. V. Guruprasad (DGP Grade Officer; the opinions expressed in this article are his personal opinions)

1.5.5 Powers and Duties of Subordinate Police Officers

1.5.5.1 Sub-Inspectors

Generally Sub-Inspectors are posted as S.H.Os. They may be given such other

duties as may be ordered in this behalf.

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Sub-Inspector as Station House Officer

A Sub-Inspector in charge of a Police station is fully responsible for the police

administration of his charge. It is his duty to assign to his subordinates their

duties and to ensure that they perform them correctly and to take measures for the

preservation of the peace and the prevention and detection of crime within the

limits of his station. The Circle Inspector’s supervision will no way relieve the

Sub-Inspector of the full responsibility for the police work in his station area. He

should keep all his superiors promptly informed of any important/ serious incident

in his jurisdiction.

He should maintain a note book in which he keeps a detailed log of his daily

movements and activities in the discharge of his duties. When a note book is

completed, it will be filed with the station records and retained for three years.

He will hand over his current note book to his successor when he goes on transfer.

Station House Officers to Send Station House Report :

The Station House Officers will forward daily to the Circle Inspector a carbon

copy of the entries in the Station House Diary with an abstract of duty in Form

No.26, a copy of all First Information Reports in cases registered and case diary

sheets recording any investigation made.

It is his duty to acquire full local knowledge and to become acquainted with the

people of his station limits especially the Dalapathis of Village Defense Parties

and other prominent residents, and enlist their co-operation in maintaining peace.

He should visit all the villages in his jurisdiction at least once a quarter. During

such visits he should make enquiries with the members of Scheduled Castes and

Scheduled Tribes to ascertain if they are able to exercise their legitimate rights

and should promptly take necessary action if he receives any complaint in this

regard.

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Instruction of Subordinates :

The SHO should instruct his subordinates regarding the drill and inspect their kits,

catechize them upon the performance of their duty and examine their beat books

and note books.

The Station House Officer should frequently tour the outposts in his charge and

give his men instructions about their duties.

Investigation :

The Sub-Inspector or the Officer incharge of the P.S. is responsible for the

investigation of all the cases reported in the police station.

Subordinate Sub-Inspectors :

When more than one Sub-Inspector is posted in a police station, the junior officers

will act under the orders of the senior most among them.

1.5.5.2 Assistant Sub-Inspectors :

In some police stations, Assistant Sub-Inspectors are appointed to assist the

Station House Officer in his duties and responsibilities. Assistant Sub-Inspectors

will function under the overall supervision of the Station House Officer and their

duties will be as follows :

a) Full investigation of simple cases as directed by the Sub-Inspector ;

b) Petition enquiry ;

c) Checking of enquiries into verification rolls ;

d) Supervision of process work ;

e) Supervision of section duties ;

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f) Direct supervision of station scriptory work ;

g) Detailing duties to the men during the sub-Inspector’s absence, and

exercising supervision and control over them;

h) Maintenance of arms and ammunition as well as the registers connected

therewith ;

i) Such other work as may be entrusted to him by the Sub-Inspector ; and

j) Completion of details for preparation of pay and travelling allowance bills.

Statistics Not A Criterion For Merit :

The performance of a Station House Officer will not only be judged by the ratio

of convictions to cases sent up for trial but also by the quality and the nature of

his work and the detective ability displayed in each individual case.

1.5.5.3 Head Constables

Head Constables are employed on general duty in the Police Stations under the

Station House Officer as Station Writers in important Stations, and in-charge of

Outposts and Guards. Under Section 2 (o) of the Code of Criminal Procedure a

Head Constable attached to a Police Station may in the absence of the Sub-

Inspector perform all the duties of a Station House Officer. However, when the

Sub-Inspector is present he cannot undertake independent investigation of cases

unless deputed to do so under Section 157 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

General duty of Head Constable:

The primary duties of a Head Constable on general duty in a Police Station are :

i) to supervise the work of the Constables and see to their instructions, catechism

and drill;

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ii) to perform any duties allotted to him by the station House Officer, whom he

will accompany on investigation when required;

iii) to be in charge of a guard or escort when deputed on such a duty ;

iv) to visit all the villages in the station jurisdiction at least once a quarter ;

v) to check all beats, particularly night beats, twice a week ;

vi) to attend to court work under the orders of the Station House Officer ;

vii) to investigate simple cases when deputed by the Station House Officer under

Section 157 of the Cr.P.C., and

viii) to conduct enquiries into petty complaints.

The general duty Head Constable should take approval of the Sub-Inspector,

whenever possible, before leaving the station on routine duties. In the absence of

the Sub-Inspector from the station, the Head Constable should ordinally remain in

the station, unless he is called away on emergent duties or ordered by the Sub-

Inspector to go out on some duty.

Station Writer :

The Station Writer will perform the clerical work of the station under the direction

of the Station House Officer.

Station Charge :

In the absence of the Police Inspector/Sub-Inspector, the senior officer present,

above the rank of a constable, will assume charge of the station.

Outpost Head Constables :

The duty of the head constable in charge of an outpost is to supervise the work of

his men, maintain the prescribed records and submit a daily report in form No.27

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to the Police station with the abstract of duty done by the outpost staff.

Receipt of Complaint at an Outpost :

The Head Constable in charge of an outpost is not an officer in charge of a police

station and is not empowered to record a `First Information’ within the meaning

of Section 154 Cr.P.C. of a cognizable offence or to enter its substance in the First

Information Report form.

On receipt of a direct complaint or information of crime or serious occurrence, the

Head Constable in charge of an outpost should send the complaint or forward the

report to the station after making a relevant entry in the Out Post dairy and at once

proceed to the scene of occurrence, collect information regarding the matter and

take such action, such as arresting the accused, as may be necessary while

awaiting the arrival of his superior officers. In the outpost diary, the time at

which the complaint is received and the action taken thereon should be noted.

A Head Constable in charge of an outpost may, without the intervention of the

officer in charge of the Police Station, take action in such of the offences as can

legally be taken cognizance of by a Head Constable.

Relief of Head Constables and Constables in Out Posts :

Head Constables and Constables on duty in outposts should be changed once a

year.

1.5.5.4 Constable :

He will perform such police duties as are entrusted to him by his superior

officers, maintain public order, help the members of the public in the enjoyment

of their legitimate rights, protect life and property, prevent the commission of

offences and public nuisances, assist in the detection of crimes, apprehend

offenders, serve processes, obtain intelligence concerning the commission of or

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designs to commit cognizable offences, lay such information and take such other

steps consistent with the law and with the order of his superiors, as to bring

offenders to justice, aid other police officers in the discharge of their duty, control

and regulate traffic when posted for such duty and discharge generally such duties

as are imposed on him under the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, and any other law

for the time being in force.

He should use the minimum force on such occasions when he finds use of force

unavoidable for valid reasons in the discharge of his duties. He should also

endeavor to move with the members of the public with courtesy and cordiality

thereby serving to improve the image of the Police force. He should maintain a

note book wherein he should record chronologically all the duties performed by

him.

Box: 1.6 Samyuktha Karnataka, 3rd August, 2010

Proposal to set 160 more stations: Dr. Singh

Bagalkot: 2 – Considering the population of the State we are in need of around one thousand police stations, while the number of stations in the State is 912 stations, said Director General of Police Dr. Ajaykumar Singh.

Having arrived for the inspection of District Police Station, he was speaking to the Press after presiding over the meeting of officials. Based on the statistics of 40 years old Dharamvir Commission we need 1000 police stations. We have submitted a proposal for setting up of 160 additional stations. We need to prepare the priority list to set up 30 new stations this year, as the Government has expressed cooperation for approval, he said.

Compared to the neighboring states, the State Department does not face a lack of Grants. We also do not lack in basic facilities, he said. The issue of staff quarters is being resolved stage-by-stage and we have achieved about 55% progress in Bagalkot district and the progress rate of the State is around 40%.

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The transfers of police officials are done according to the guidelines and there are no conflicts with the Government in this regard, clarified Dr. Singh. He said that the transfers were implemented in accordance with the first list and the second list was withheld because of the elections. We have submitted a requisition for the approval of the same, and it also will be implemented according to the rule book. There is no question of disappointment or interference in this regard, he said.

Expressing complete satisfaction about the police administration in Bagalkot, he said that no untogether incidents were reported. Actions are taken objective regarding registering of police complaints and the complainants are called for a meeting in the third week of every month and updated about the status of their complaints, he said. The delay in handing over of stolen goods to its rightful owners is warded off. While, 90% of such stolen goods are handed over to their rightful owners in the State, in this district this is a record 100%, he said appreciatively.

Having received the Guard of Honor in the Police Parade, the Director General of Police inspected the documents and proceedings in the Office of the District Police Commissioner, and expressed satisfaction regarding the maintenance of the same. He conducted a meeting of officials and provided guidance on department-wise inspection and duties, responsibilities and society oriented service essential in officials.

1.5.6 Training Centers in Karnataka:

Police Training:-

This wing is headed by Additional Director General of Police, Recruitment and Training.

He works under the overall control and supervision of the Director General of Police,

Corps of Detectives. He is assisted by Inspector General of Police (Training) and Deputy

Inspector General of Police (Training). The organization of this wing is as cited in

chart 1.5.6

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The State has the following Training Institutions:

1. Karnataka Police Academy, Mysore. 2. Karnataka State Police Training School, Channapatna. 3. Police Driving and Maintenance School, Yelahanka, Bangalore. 4. Karnataka State Reserve Police Training School, Bangalore 5. Karnataka State Police Training School, Khanapur 6. Armed Police Training School, Bangalore. 7. Traffic Training School, Bangalore. 8. Karnataka State Police Training Centre, Gulbarga. 9. Special Branch Training Institute, Bangalore. 10. Wireless Training Institute, Bangalore.

Qualification Required for PSI – Any graduates, age limit – 21 to 27.

Qualification Required for PC – PUC II yr, age limit – 18 to 25.

1.5.7. Bases for Promotion:

The Police Department is adopting Seniority based promotion.

PC will be promoted as HC on seniority basis. HC will be promoted as ASI based on

seniority and department exam. Those who don’t had Kannada as a first language during

their SSLC, they have to again write Kannada language test.

PC, PSI, DSP, SP, only these posts will be directly appointed. The remaining posts like

HC, ASI, CPI, ASP, DG, IG these posts are filled only by promoting the suitable

candidates based on the seniority.

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1.6. Reason for Selecting Work Stress among the Employees of Police Department

Police Stress is defined as “An imbalance between what is required of an officer and

what the officer is capable of giving, under conditions where failure may have dire

consequences”. (Kolbell, 1995; Kureczka, 1996; McGrath, 1992). Stressors can be both

positive and/ or negative and a person’s reaction to a stressor is highly individualized and

dependent on the meaning that she attributes to an incident (Alexander, 1994). How an

officer constructs her interpretation of the incident will determine how severe her reaction

will be (Everly, 1994).

Box: 1.7 Prajavani (Hubli / Dharwad), 2nd February 2013

Constable Chronicles

The operations of police force are increasing in the state. They have to be on duty, irrespective of festivals, bad weather or any other occasions. No one is bothered about the pressures and woes of staff working in lower grades. They have to face the ire of their bosses even for the smallest errors on duty. No one ever praises them.

There is a lack of 18,000 staff personnel in the department. But, we often hear a complaint from the public that we are not receiving quality service from these personnel. Recent findings indicate that there is not much bonding between the staff personnel. The number of personnel opting for voluntary retirement is increasing.

In 2009, Kempaiah, ADGP of Internal Security Department opted for Voluntary Retirement, weary of the inhumane treatment meted out by higher officials. Munirathnakar, Constable of Bangalore Airport Station, opted for voluntary retirement, as he was refused leave at the time of the death of his brother –in-law.

Munirathnakar, who spoke to Prajavani about this said, “I was posted in Bangalore Airport Station. I had applied for 3 days leave, when my brother-in-law died. But the Inspector had not only refused but also used abusive language against me instructing me to be on duty. He had ordered me to be in the station overtime, even after the working hours. I

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opted out for voluntary retirement, even though I had two more years of service with the police force. Intolerable behavior in the station is the primary reason for my retirement”.

Lack of personnel, Work pressure: ‘Constables are working in two shifts every day. First shift is from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The second shift is from 8 p.m. 8 a.m. These constables who generally work for 12 hours a day, have to put few extra hours of work during processions, gatherings, conferences, VIP visit etc. As there is a lack of personnel in the station, it is inevitable that they have to work overtime. If there is a lack of personnel in the department, let them appoint more men. Why should they pressurize others by making them work more and more’ questions Ramachandrappa, retired Constable.

Entitled Leave not granted: ‘Any constable is entitled for 15 days casual leave (CL) and 30 days of Emergency Leave (EL) set by the Government. But we don’t even get half the number of leave. We get an additional 100 rupees if we work on a holiday. If we go on leave for investigation work or if we do not woo our higher ups, we don’t even get the leave we are entitled for’ said a constable in Rajanukunte station.

“I got posted as a constable in Kadugondanahalli Station on 1st February 2012. In the beginning I was designated to sweep the station floor, clean the vehicles and supply coffee, tea to higher officials. I did like to work like a slave in this way. There is a limit for one’s patience. After seeing the situation in the station, I resigned from service in just one week”, said a constable in Rajanukunte Station.

Constables are not provided with vehicles to go on beat. So they have to walk the whole night. With the implementation of electronic beat (e-beat) we have to compulsorily go on beat. E-beat machine has been set for every half kilometer; the staff has to punch their presence through punching card. Higher officers including SI will check that machine to confirm if we had gone on beat or not. As the expanse of the beat is large, sometimes there are illegal activities occurring under our nose. Our higher ups reprimand us in front of our colleagues, says constable Lohith.

“I have worked in many stations including Hanumanthnagar and J. P. Nagar. Employees in the lower grade will not be harassed all the time. In some stations, higher officers themselves try to solve the personal and

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professional problems of the constables. But it is true that the constables are not getting leave”, says one of the constables from J. P. Nagar station.

M. C. Manjunath

1.6.1 Work Stress in Police Department: Police Department is a government

organization, which is one of the important department in the society for social

wellbeing. In police department, police have to work round the clock to keep public safe.

Throughout the day they are doing a thankless job. They don’t have week end holiday,

even they don’t have an occasional holiday. In fact on those days they have to work even

harder in the name of bandhubast duty. Because of this they are not getting time to spend

with their family members, even they can’t concentrate on what duty they are doing

because of frustration. Later on this frustration may manifest as depression and they will

lose the interest in their job. If we keenly observe, out of 100 police men 80% of them

will be having procrastinating attitude, impatience, problems in interpersonal relations

with co-workers and higher officers, irritability etc which are the symptoms of Stress.

And nowadays the suicide attempts are also on the rise in police department.

So we will study how we can reduce the stress in the policemen by conducting a research

study which will help them to overcome the stress by implementing some stress

management techniques & programmes.

Stresses may vary, they may be in the form of day-to-day worries, major events, or

prolonged problematic work situations or they may arise from certain ideas, thoughts and

perceptions that evoke negative emotions. The factors causing stress in a person are

called ‘stressors’. As the social and organizational demands on us tend to increase with

complexities, so do the intensity of stressors for an employee. Workplace stresses are

listed in 14 broad categories as shown below:

1. Role Conflict, Role Overload

2. Role Ambiguity

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3. Lack of Group Cohesiveness

4. Lack of Supervisory Support

5. Inadequacy of Role Authority

6. Job Requirements

7. Relationships with Co-workers

8. Staff Shortages

9. Organizational Structure and Climate

10. Homework Interface

11. Lack of Consultation and Communication

12. Lack of Control Over the Way the Work is Done

13. Poor Work Conditions, and

14. Insecurity and the Threat of Unemployment.

Box: 1.8 Samyuktha Karnataka, Hubli, 14th May 2013

Police Department is suffering with many refusals.

Ramakrishan R

Mangalore: This coastal district of South Kanara is communally sensitive area. The maintenance of law and order is a greater challenge compared to other districts. Every time illegal activities occur, when some evil forces take the law in their hands, everyone points their finger at the police officials. Right from the politicians to the heads of institutes ‘failure of police force’ is the common statement we hear often. But when the police department has lost its strength due to lack of personnel, where is the question of maintaining law and order?

With the lack of modern weapons, tools and basic facilities, the police department is suffering with ‘nos’. It does not have enough vehicles, if there are vehicles, there are no drivers. Ok, are there enough houses to stay? No.

Even the houses that are built are in a state of collapse. In such a situation, working in an area like South Canara is a difficult

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challenge.

The district of Udupi, which was separated from South Canara, has only three taluks. And the number of police stations is 22. But fact that the South Canara district, which houses five taluks has only 13 stations, is indeed astounding. The district of South Canara is larger than Udupi in expanse and has a higher population. If we need to maintain law and order, it is essential that on an average we need at least 200 policemen for ever one lakh population. But the number of police officers per one lakh population in this district is just 35.

Even after 450 posts of police constables and head constables are granted to South Canara district, 50 posts are still vacant.

Abhishek Goyal, District Police Commissioner says that, “there is a lack of police stations in this district. We need at least 20 or more police stations to meet the requirements of population and needs. With the population of the district being more, additional staff needs to be acquired during riots, elections and other circumstances”.

A proposal to set up new police stations in Uppinangadi, Nelyaadi, Pharangipete and Dharmasthala has been sent. Requisition for additional staff in Beltangadi and Venur has been submitted. Construction of Police Station in Sulya has been approved.

In Uppinangadi, a search is on for a suitable place to set up a police station. Six additional police stations is about to be included to Bantwal Police sub-division.

A proposal has been sent to set up a mobile police station in Bantwal. We have not received any response. The work for setting up of mobile police station in Puttur has started. Cameras have been fitted in check-posts and in and around stations in Venur, Beltangadi, Poojalakatte, and Kadaba areas. Systematic CCTV cameras are not set up in the temples at Subramanya and Dharmasthala. Therefore we are unable to obtain information on incidents of chain-snatching, murders and dacoits. We need more than 30 CCTV cameras and it has been suggested to the executive committee to set up cameras in prominent places in the temple, he said.

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This is the actual situation of South Canara district Police Department. The situation of transport department has worsened in Mangalore. It is essential to consider all these elements before pointing one’s finger at the police department at the occurrence of any untogether incidents like unrest, riots, attacks and blaming “the failure of police”.

Job stress leads to unclear goals and /or objectives – role ambiguity, job dissatisfaction,

lack of confidence, feeling of futility, a lowered sense of self-esteem, depression, low

motivation to work, elevated blood pressure and pulse rate, and intentions to leave the

job. The delirious effects of job stress impair the physical and mental health of the

employees. And, for better performance of the employees, the Police Department has an

onerous task to provide a congenial atmosphere to the employees to cope with job stress

in the realm of HRM (Personnel Administration). Amid this background, the present

study of the Belgaum Region Police, Karnataka has assumed greater significance than

ever before.

1.6.2 Problem Statement

The police department is not an exception to the job stress phase. Inherently, certain

research questions arise. For instance, “What causes job stress among police department

employees?”, “How is high stress impacting the performance of the employees?” etc.

Number of the years spent with an organization, role overload, role ambiguity, role

conflict, Unreasonable group & political pressure, responsibilities for persons, under

participation, powerlessness, poor peer relations, intrinsic impoverishment, low status,

strenuous working conditions, and unprofitability are the key variables for the research

problem. As such, the present study will help to develop more appropriate strategies to

cope with workplace stress and that these could be incorporated into a more fully

integrated set of human resource policies for better performance of police department in

the study region.

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Box: 1.9 Prajavani Special, Saturday, 2nd February 2013

Inside the “Police Armor”

Today police and the society are tending to forget the fact that the man inside the police uniform is also a human being.

Dr. K.S.Pavithra

January 18 – Suicide attempt by a woman constable inside the station.

January 24 – A young constable of Nagaland Security Force hangs himself in the Station.

January 27 – An exhausted constable shoots his higher officer to death, when he was refused a day’s leave after working for 30 consecutive hours.

These are the incidents of police death that occurred in the last 10 days.

These incidents amplify the necessities of serious contemplation by the police department, society and the psychological world. Many researches are being conducted in the medical world about the personality and health of police officials.

The first question I generally ask in the psychological camps for police officers is, “by whom is your life under serious threat in the police department?” I get many answers like ‘thieves, terrorists- accident – disasters – etc, etc’. But the highest possibility among them is the answer I got from many of them, “By myself”. That means, it indicates the possibilities of a person committing suicide unable to bear the high work pressures, or succumbing to various kinds of physical-mental diseases that lessen his lifespan.

The first image that comes to our mind when we hear the word police is that of a strong individual with heavy moustaches, with a furious face. Such an imagination is not limited to us, the common public; even the policemen are committed to a ‘cop culture’, and want to be like this. They feel that they should be self-sufficient and be able to do everything themselves, it is an insult to ask help, they

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can only control crime and maintain law and order when they have ferociousness and a vicious voice are the general beliefs found in a policeman.

Today police and the society are tending to forget the fact that the man inside the police uniform is also a human being. The studies conducted in America indicate that the possibilities of suicide in the police force are 4 times more than those in the society. Means, police face many physical and mental illnesses because they are ‘police’. The instances of murder, suicide and scenes of accident create a sort of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among them. As they keep seeing the same scenes repeatedly, there is a danger that their mind will stop recognizing gentle emotions, and the strength to care or feel the shock about something. It is natural that they face despair and depression due to political pressure, necessity to work with dishonest people / officers, compulsion for working with such people, having to work against their will circumstantially.

Along with these, night shifts, which are an imminent part of police system, provoke sleeplessness. National festivals, chaos, security for VIPs, the act of waiting in sun for such people bring about many physical and mental ailments in many policemen. Studies indicate that smoking and alcoholism are more commonly found in policemen compared to general public. Consuming alcohol to be alert on night duty, smoking to reduce work pressure are the general reasons they give. In the various categories of police work, different kinds of stress related ailments emerge. Responsibility of having to control a particular situation immediately, the way they should answer the press builds immense pressure in them. Among the officers of other categories, the pressure from higher-ups, unable to obtain leave easily are much common. From the perspective of personality – if we peep inside the ferocious police officer that the society points out – there are all possibilities of seeing a low self esteemed person facing depression.

The situation of woman officers in the department is far worse. The arena of police work is still ‘predominantly male’. Therefore it is not easy for honest women officers to gain cooperation from colleagues and family easily. Moreover, it is far difficult for a woman to be

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employed in the police department, when compared to other departments, as she has face many problems like night-shift, emergencies, problems that occur when dealing with criminals, along with maintaining their family and children present far harder problems.

The number of family related issues is also high when compared to other fields. Even after they come home and change their uniforms, emotionally the police are still in their uniforms. Ferociousness, anger and pressure among higher officers and fear and pressurized personality are commonly found among police officers. Their influence is so immense that they start using the same style to talk with their family. Is it enough to conduct researches, publishing them and writing articles about the police to solve the problems related with the police profession? Then should our youth stop going to police department fearing of these problems? Never; Government – legal bodies have ordered the implementation of stress relief workshops and camps to cure alcoholic addiction. These are being conducted regularly. But it is essential to check their experimental usage and success.

Also, there is a need to educate how the experiences from the police profession can be positively utilized in a unique way. There is a need to check the Post Traumatic Growth, on the aftermath of accidents – disasters, to make the police more able in their mental and physical conditions. It is also essential to be informed and identify the negative effects of pressure and get treatment for the same without any prejudices. There is also a need to change the mentality of the public against the police. At the least, abiding to the traffic rules, not having the mentality of bribing the police officer to escape, paying the fine when found guilty – such small changes in our lifestyles might reduce the pressure of police personnel. It is useful to implement the programs of stress relief and experimental training involving the psychological elements in the Police training.

(Author is a psychologist)

A research on Police Stress: A Study of The Melvindale Police Department, by

Christopher A. Barbb, Michigan (2003) states that Police officers are more susceptible to

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stress related problems than the general population due to the very nature of their work.

Police officers are exposed to various traumatic experiences during their tours of duty.

Officers are also faced with making life and death decisions that can create a great deal of

stress. The results indicate that officers do indeed suffer from stress and its effects. Stress

in the workplace can be a threat to employee health and well being.

Box: 2.0 Prajavani, 2nd February 2013

After that tragedy in Mysore...

That was February 16, 2009. One of the constables of the Karnataka Reserve Police force, who had donated blood to one of his relatives the previous day, requested the Inspector to grant a day’s leave, so that he could rest a while. Inspector replied patiently, “the work pressure is heavy. I am unable to Grant leave now”. The constable who was roused by this response shot the inspector immediately and shot himself subsequently.

This incident occurred in Mysore. Constable K. S. Shivakumar (33) of KSRP 7TH Command rained bullets on Inspector N. Nagegowda (52).

When we contemplate on the aftermath of this situation, the department has delivered all the facilities to be given to both these families. Members of both these families are given employment on compassionate grounds.

The deceased Nagegowda was a widower. He has a son and a daughter. His son, N. Sandeep has completed B.E. and he has been given the post of First Division Clerk (FDC) in Chamarajanagar.

The wife of Constable K. S.Shivakumar has been given the post of Second Division Clerk (SDC) in Mandya.

Generally those who seek the post of constables are from poor families. But in many instances, the attitude they have when they join the police force will be changed with time. The social system is also responsible for the occurrence of such instances.

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Police department is not inhuman in nature. It is essential that the society and staff need to understand the humane facet of the department. It is unfortunate that an Inspector on duty is attacked for someone’s fault and for the anger upon someone. Such instances should not occur, says Krishnappa, Commandant of KSRP 5th Command.

A study on Stress and Quality of Life of Senior Brazilian Police Officers was undertaken

by Marilda E. Novaes Lipp, Universidade Católica de Campinas (2009). This study

examined levels of occupational stress, quality of life, work-related stressors, and coping

strategies among senior police officers. This study was the first to establish a clear

association between high levels of emotional stress and poor quality of life among police

officers. The large number of stress symptoms and poor quality of life identified in the

study indicates that there is a need for preventive actions inside the police force to

motivate lifestyle changes, improve stress-management skills, and promote a better

quality of life among high ranking police officers. This study has revealed that the high-

ranking police officers who took part in the survey perceived their profession as being

very stressful. The study found significant association between stress severity and poor

quality of life.

In the research work “Job-Related Stress, Causal Factors and Coping Strategies of Traffic

Constables” undertaken by Sibnath Deb, Tanusree Chakraborty, Pooja Chatterjee and

Neerajakshi Srivastava (2008) determined job related stress, causes behind the same and

their coping strategies adapted by the traffic constables in Kolkata city as well as

problems faced by them in discharging their duties efficiently. The research revealed that

79.41% constables are stressed. The causes were identified as: long duty hours, lack of

communication with family members, inability to avail leave, political

pressure/interferences, lack of coordination among the colleagues, problems at home,

non-cooperation from the public, air and sound pollution, pressure from higher

authorities, unhealthy work atmosphere, fear of punishment from superiors and

stereotype nature of job. Healthy interpersonal relationship is a very important motivating

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factor for the staff in discharging their duties efficiently. The recommendations included

introducing some recreational and/or group activities for traffic guard to release the job

related stress of 79.41% constables.

Box:2.1 Deccan Herald Stress Management Workshop

The Bangalore Traffic Police along with MAAC (Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematic) organized a day long stress management workshop for traffic police inspectors and assistant commissioners of police (ACPs) of Bangalore in Traffic park on St. Marks Road here on Monday. Speaking to presspersons, Additional Police Commissioner of Traffic and Security M.A Saleem said that the aim was to ensure that the traffic personnel are able to function with a clear and stress-free mind, particularly the sub-inspectors as they have to work in tense situations and under adverse conditions such as vagaries of the weather and pollution. MAAC Vice-President Shajan Samuel said this is the first time that such a program is being conducted for police personnel. He said that the workshop primarily involved activity-based training with special attention to anger management and behavioural training. Transactional analyst Rohit Narain conducted the workshop. H.N.Satayanarayana Rao, Inspector-General of Police (Eastern Range), said on Saturday that police personnel should learn to mange stress as it would help them deischarge their duties properly. Speaking after inaugurating the annual sports meet for police personnel at the Police Parade Ground here, he said that of late, the working conditions were stressful, mainly due to increase in the inter-district travel on bandobast duty. “Stress management is a big challenge for the police personnel given the present working conditions. Proper management of stress helps you discharge your duties without tension,” he said.

A research on “Need for enhancing Organizational Performance through Management of

Employees stress” by Sreedhar N (1994), says that there are four basic levels of stress

symptoms

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• First is the normal initial response and is characterized by increased heart beat

rates, increased blood pressure, dilation of pupils, sweat in palms.

• At the second level, there is more irritability, stuttering & stammering, difficulty

in concentration, restlessness, and tendency to increased smoking or drinking for

those so habituated

• At the third level, there would be more headaches, stomach aches, sweating,

insomnia, depression, etc

• The fourth level would be characterized by ulcers, stroke, and alcoholism, or

even death.

The research concludes that the productivity of the organization enhances with better

psychosocial well being of the employee.

A research on “Workplace stress – Factors that contribute to workplace stress”,

undertaken by Maria Parkinson (2010), concludes that the workplace stress is becoming a

major problem in today’s society. A quarter of employees view their job as the major

stress in their lives. Several factors contribute to workplace stress like one factor is longer

working hours. She also says that police officers reported more suicidal thoughts than the

general population. Policing is an inherently psychologically stressful job where officers

face danger, possible death, violence and very high demands.

A research on “Toxic Work”, by Barbara B. Reinhold, (1996) says that stress increased a

person’s susceptibility to illness such as heart attacks, high blood pressure, back pain,

fatigue, and cancer.

A article on “Police stress Research” is prepared by NIOSH working group, The Indian

Police Journal, (2004), reveals that according to the National Police Suicide Foundation,

every 22 hours, a police officer in America takes his or her own life. This leads to the

inevitable conclusion that police officers are not able to cope adequately with job-related

stress.

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Box: 2.2 Samyukth Karnataka Was harassment by higher official the reason for the death of lady constable? Haveri, 5 – A Senior lady constable has attempted suicide in Shiggaon on Wednesday Night. Renuka Airani (40) serving as lady constable in Shiggaon Woman Police Station had consumed sleeping tablets on Wednesday night. She was immediately admitted to a local private hospital. Later she was shifted to KIMS, Hubli. Was she being harassed by higher up? – Renuka has confessed to the media that she attempted suicide, as she was unable to bear the mental torture meted out by Shiggaon DSP S. S. Khota. While Renuka has accused her higher ups of meting mental torture to her, the official have denied such accusations. They have counter-accused that Renuka was suspended as her behavior with the public was not good. They claim that she was not harassed by any officials. Constable under Suspension: The Suspension Order signed by DSP Khota suspending lady constable Renuka was issued 2 days ago. It is said that two constables had delivered this order to Renuka at her residence. Constable Renuka, who was upset by this Suspension order, had consumed sleeping tablets on Wednesday night. She came to Shiggaon Police Station and declared that she had consumed sleeping tablets because of being suspended. As Renuka collapsed at this juncture, her colleagues admitted her to a private hospital on Wednesday night. District Police Commissioner Dr. Chandragupta, speaking to Samyukta Karnataka, said that there were many complaints against the Constable Renuka, and thus she was kept under suspension. He had not received any information about the suspension order and he would take necessary action once he receives the relevant information. Overall, the incident of a senior lady Constable being harassed by the higher officials of her own department has stirred the curiosity of the public. Hubli Report: Renuka Airani, Senior Lady Constable in Shiggaon Woman Police Station who had consumed sleeping tablets on

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Wednesday night is recovering in KIMS. Renuka, who had taken ill, after consuming sleeping tablets while on duty was admitted to the local hospital in Shiggaon, and was later brought to KIMS. Sources in KIMS state that she is recovering gradually and is out of danger.

Table 1.1: Showing death Records of Police Officers in Belgaum Range between

2000 to 2011

District Year Suicide Heart Attack

Sick/ Illness / Heavy alcohol consumption

Accident Total

Bagalkot 2000-2010 2 11 16 4 33

Dharwad 2000-2010 5 45 5 55

Bijapur 2000-2011 3 21 68 10 102

Belgaum 2000-2010 36 40 20 96

TOTAL 10 68 169 39 286

Source: Data collected through each district headquarters

In the above table, it can be found that majority of the police officers are died from health

problems, even the stress might be one of the reason for the death.

According to the report prepared by Sibnath Deb, Tanusree Chakraborty, Pooja

Chatterjee and Neerajakshi Srivastava (2008) titled “Are West Bengal Police Officers

Stressed” Police officers play a very significant role protecting law and order in the

society despite all the shortcomings and limitations in the Police Department especially in

regard to the infrastructure facilities, manpower and periodic training, the Police Officers

are expected to implement all the criminal laws for which they work round the clock and

/ or without any leave/break, which cause tremendous mental pressure and physical

exertion on them. As a result a few of them may have violent outbursts.

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Box:2.3 Vijaya Karnataka, 28th January, 2013

In-station Shoot-out

Constable kills SI for want of leave

VK Suddiloka, Bangalore / Yelahanka

An argument that erupted between a constable and SI for granting of leave went out of bounds, with the constable shooting his higher official to death, in Rajanukunte Station, in the outskirts of Silicon City.

Sub-Inspector Vijaykumar has succumbed to bullet fired by Constable Anand Kumar.

SI Vijay Kumar came to the station around nine in the morning on Sunday. Constable Anand who was performing the duties of Sentry had been asking for granting one week’s leave from Saturday morning. But when SI Vijay Kumar refused to grant leave, an argument erupted between them.

It is said that Anand, who exited from the premises at the time, had lodged a complaint with Circle Inspector and Dy.SP providing necessary information. But Anand returned to Inspector’s chamber around 10.45 and started an argument once again. The situation went out of bounds. Anand fired three rounds of bullets from a .303 rifle, which he was holding. Vijay Kumar collapsed on the spot. He was brought-dead to Yelahanka Hospital. It is said that having killed Vijay Kumar, Anand went into the cell along with the rifle. Being a strict Officer, Vijaykumar was popular for maintaining peace and order in Rajanukunte.

Two Meritorious Men:

Deceased SI Vijaykumar hails from Ballapattana village of Channapattana Taluk, Ramnagar District. He had joined the Force in 1996 and worked as a constable in various stations including Halasur Mobile Station. He passed in service exams in 2010 and was promoted for SI Post. He had worked as a probationary officer in Bellary and Bangalore and was posted as SI of Rajanukunte Station on Dec. 5 2012.

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Vijaykumar, who was opening up for new experiences in the new post, had an untimely death. On the other hand, accused constable Anand Kumar hails from Joreddypalya of Gowribidanur Taluk, Chikballapur district. Being a graduate, he also is a national level Kabbaddi player. He joined the department under Sports Reservation.

Succumbing to Pressure:

There is a rule in the police department that of the 95% of the constables in the police force, every constable is entitled to one weekly off and should work for 8 hours a day. But the officials above the grade of ASI do not even have a weekly off. “According to police manual, police need to be on duty all the 24 hours in a day. Higher officials harass those in the lower grades, stating this. Lack of personnel, heavy work pressure, status of the officer, emotionless higher officers, failure in maintaining complaints – all such problems are causing tensions in those wearing the uniform. 4 years ago, a KSRP constable had killed his higher officer, by shooting him.

“A committee has been set up under Bipin Gopalakrishna. Compensation will be given to the family of the deceased SI. Appointment process of police personnel will be taken up”

R. Ashok, Home Minister, Govt. of Karnataka

According to National Police Suicide Foundation, every 22 hours, a police officer in

America takes his or her own life. This leads to the inevitable conclusion that police

officers are not able to cope well with job-related stress.

As per State Police Government Policy, one constable should handle 1800 people. i.e.,

1:1800. But as per present strength of constables (4013), each constable is handling 2,664

people.

i.e., Total Population / Total HC& PC Strength

i.e., (1,06,91,360 /4013) = 2,664.18

i.e., 2,664 – 1,800 = 864

Other than 1800, extra 864 people each constable in handling.

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Table 1.2: Showing the population in 2011 against 2001 for Bagalkot, Belgaum,

Dharwad, and Bijapur districts

Karnataka – 6,11,30,704 5,30,50,562  

 

 

 

Source: India Population 2001 and 2011, from Spardha Spoorthi-May 2011, Kannada Magazine

Hence it is my interest to study the causes of stress, the impact of demographic variables

on stress, and the present coping strategies adopted by employees of Police Department.

To understand the relation between occupation stress dimensions & coping strategies

among the employees of police department.

1.7 Targeted Cadre

1.7.1 Total Police Strength of Belgaum Range

Table 1.3: Showing the total police strength of Belgaum Range

District Sanctioned Strength Present Strength Vacancy PSI ASI HC/

WHC PC/

WPC PSI ASI HC/

WHC PC/

WPC PSI ASI HC/

WHC PC/

WPC Bagalkot 32 74 213 705 29 74 202 684 3 0 11 21 Dharwad 21 32 132 270 15 32 114 227 6 0 18 43 Bijapur 40 84 286 811 40 82 284 704 0 2 2 107

Belgaum 84 165 577 1496 70 164 522 1276 14 1 55 220 Total 177 355 1208 3282 154 352 1122 2891 Total

vacancy 23 3 86 391

Total PSI+ASI = 154+352 = 506 Total HC+PC = 1122+2891 = 4013

District Population 2011 Population 2001

Bagalkot 18,90,826 16,51,892

Belgaum 47,78,439 42,14,505

Dharwad 18,46,993 16,04,253

Bijapur 21,75,102 18,06,918 TOTAL 1,06,91,360 92,77,568

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Box: 2.4 Vijaya Karnataka, 4th February 2013

TNN New Delhi

There is a lack of around three thousand (about 30%) IAS and IPS officers in the nation. Many officers are working on three to four posts simultaneously. There are 80 IAS posts vacant in Karnataka. The situation in the Naxal hit areas is much worse. Many officers appointed for the States have been posted to Central Government Departments.  

 

 

1.7.2. Police Stations in Belgaum Range

Table 1.4: showing the Police Stations in Belgaum Range

Sl.NO. BELGAUM DISTRICT

BIJAPUR DISTRICT

DHARWAD DISTRICT

BAGALKOT DISTRICT

1. Market Police Station

Bijapur Town - Gandhi Chowk

Dharwad Rural P.S Bagalkot Town

2. Shahpur Golgumbaz Garag P.S Bagalkot Rural 3. APMC APMC Alanvar P.S Navanagar 4. Malamaruti Adarsh Nagar Navalgund Kaladgi 5. Belgaum rural Bijapur Rural Annigeri Kerur 6. Kakati Babaleshwar Kundagol Badami 7. Bagewadi Tikota Gudageri Guledgud 8. Marihal Indi Kalaghtagi Amingad 9. Khanapur Horti Hubli rural Hungund 10. Nandgad Sindagi Bandiwad O.P Ilkal 11. Chikkodi D.Hippargi Mishrikoti Jamkhandi Town 12. Sadalaga Kalaker Morab O.P Jamkhandi Rural 13. Ankali Almel Hebballi O.P Savalgi 14. Nippani Town Chadchan Banhatti 15. Nippani rural Zalki Terdal 16. Athani Basavan Bagewadi Mudhol 17. Aigali Manguli Lokapur 18. BCPS Kolhar Mahalingpur 19. Kagwad Nidagundi Bilagi 20. Raibag Almatti 21. Kudachi Muddebihal 22. Gokak Town Talikot 23. Gokak Rural 24. Ankalagi

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25. Hukkeri 26. Sankeshwar 27. Yamaknamardi 28. Mudalagi 29. Kulagod 30. Ghataprabha 31. Bailhongal 32. Nesaragi 33. Kittur 34. Dodwad 35. Ramadurga 36. Katkol 37. Savadatti 38. Murgod

1.7.3 Total Police Stations in Belgaum Range

Table 1.5: Showing the total number of police stations in Belgaum Range

District Number of Police Stations

Bagalkot 19

Belgaum 42

Dharwad 42

Bijapur 22

TOTAL 125

(Excluding Traffic, DSB DPO, DCRB

DPO, FPU DPO, PI(Exercise))