Police Reform and Improve City Policing in Metro and other big citiesMaking Police more civilized and cosmopolitan

With reference to the above mentioned subject, we wish to bring to your kind attention for the urgent need of Police Reform in the country as the country’s police station become a breeding ground for organized criminals and there is day to day police excesses, lack of accountability and transparency in police functioning. Police consider themselves as a supreme power and often engaged in many criminal activities. There is lack of check and balances and there are rare punishment. Politician, judiciary often taking decision in favour of police rather than public interest.

There are cases in state like Maharashtra communalization of police force in favour of local and in most of the cases favours and take biased stand while people from other states say non-Maharashtrian people heavily punished and falsely implicated in many cases. The alleged racial abuses going on for many decades in the state and police have wider support from regional parties.

In City like Mumbai and other Metros, police force should be neutral and more civilian and cosmopolitan in their approach. For making cosmopolitan approach considering the size and breadth of population between 20-30% of police force esp. from mid-level to constabulary should be selected from different region considering their population, to ensure unbiased approach and avoid racial abuses.

· Dedicated Central Police Force on Mega cities with specialized training, proportionate representation from other states upon the population to ensure better policing in the city and to intelligence gathering and quick assimilation of information and reporting to Home Ministry at the Centre directly.

· In the event of major disaster, attack, communal riot and other major events including major IB, CBI operation, DRI, ED, Central police force assist central force including handling protecting VIPs of Central govt. and also help commando operation in the event of terror attack. There should be a police of central inference on state affairs in the event of state’s failure to act in time and report to centre directly.

· Considering the sophistication and modernization of operation and method of handling, just state police can’t handle all such operation esp. on organized crime, terror, inter state gang and crime operation and all domestic investigation including financial crime and other big crime will be investigated by these Central Forces which should be called F.B.I.

· Co-operative Federalism and state autonomy, police freedom doesn’t mean centre sitting like a mute spectator for any wrongful action, centre have some responsibility towards its citizenry for their security, protection in the event of state failure, if people find it difficult it difficult if state act or engaged in communal disharmony, the Central police with sufficient number can interfere and control the system unless and until the situation become normal. There are instances like communal violence in Maharashtra, anti linguistic minority stands by some regional political parties creating social disharmony, police act in a biased manner against particular section of people with racial mindset, it is enough for the force to act and reporting it to centre.

· To tackle left/ Maoist/ communal violence strong central police with strong law is needed to ensure that Centre can’t sit a mute spectator and if need arise, without applying 356 or applying Governor’s rule, a particular district bring under the administrative and police control of the centre for a reasonable time by neutralizing state administration.

· The murder of political cadres in particular states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, U.P., Maharashtra State and many other states compelled to think such laws and Bombing, frequent murder by one another should be taken up by NIA, FBI or other concerned authorities.

· Various reform to improve city policing as foreigners visiting the country, we need to improve

better co-operation and ordination from police personnel look more civic, gentle, polite and helpful having better outlook instead of barbaric approach and ugly look.

· Strengthening community policing with proper representation from linguistic minorities.

· National and State Police Complaint Authorities with non-police officers as members and to ensure proper linguistic minority representation (not Christian or Muslim only regional/ state representation) to ensure justice delivered quickly.

· Repeal/ abolish various tyrannical police rules, acts and de-licence various encircling formalities, and ensure human right protection.

· Amendment in Cr.P.C. C.P.C. and Mumbai Police Act.

· Improve better connectivity, CCTV monitoring on all police stations esp. detection/ custodial rooms and all in and outside area including PCR vans and provide electronic surveillance on policemen by giving proper gadgets, dedicated mobile and make it mandatory to carry out 24x7 during offline duty and on duty. It is a must to ensure that there is no scandalous approach and during official operation, they are carrying out legal operation and no illegal or immoral method adopted while taking into custody and during investigation.

· Proper representation of linguistic minorities of different states and cleansing the communal and criminal mindset among the police officers.

· Ban of keeping police, military and other official uniform by any citizen other than officials and they should policemen/ official should carry proper ID cards and other identification to avoid confusion among the real police and fake policemen. The number of incidents are rising as some men in uniform started extortion, chain snatching and taking away valuables and engaged in criminal activities and difficult to identify real policeman with fake.

· Govt. should initiate awareness and their right to deal with such situation and help to identify fake police which is dangerous to the situation and harming the prestige and honesty of real policemen.

· Specialised foreign language officers/expert should be made available to central police force either who can handle multiple foreign language/ regional languages to gather intel and also assist foreign tourist to communicate better with their respective language.

· General attitude and approach of police force need a drastic changes to improve the image of police force with people friendly measures to reduce widespread anger and their tyrannical approach towards people at large.

· There should be quick punishment for erratic officers who is engaged in human right violation, erratic behaviour, indiscipline, criminal action.

· Anti corruption mechanism against police force should be improved to regain confidence at all level. Dedicated anti-corruption helpline against police officials and other such measures instill fear among corrupt forces.

· Many such recommendation/ suggestion made by the commission and by individuals/ organizations for better policing in the country.

This is one of the most important area for reform as the police no more serving for colonial masters and it is their own people who pay taxes for their welfare and salary which the police force don’t forget. There is an urgent need for changes in the attitude and approach of police and people should consider them as a saviour rather than trouble makers who often creating nuisance and annoyance to common citizen.

Hope PMO under NaMo take appropriate steps in ensuring that each and every state take appropriate measure in implementing Police Reform and the guardian of law will not be a law breakers any more.