LOK NAYAK JAYAPRAKASH NARAYANNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY AND FORENSIC SCIENCE

(Ministry of Home Affairs)

Police Station Visit Report

Submitted By: Shankey Verma M.A. Criminology 1st Semester

CONTENTS

1. Acknowledgement

2. Details of Visit

3. Purpose of Visit

4. Introduction

5. Organizational Structure of Police

6. Physical Observation

Reception Duty Officer Investigation room Record Room Police Maalkhana Computer Room Wireless Room Police Lock-Up

7. Personal Observation

8. Critical Analysis

9. Suggestions

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTI am using this opportunity to express my gratitude towards Prof. (Dr.) B.N. Chattoraj who took great pain in arranging our police station visit. I am thankful for his aspiring guidance during the field visit. The visit proved to be a successful one in understanding the police organization and its functioning. I am also thankful to Mr. Ashok Sharma, the SHO, Mangol Puri Police Station, Delhi and Mr. Anil Kumar, the SHO, K.N. Katju Marg Police Station, Delhi to make us understand the things in a much practical way. Their guidance was valuable for our better understanding of minute details.

Shankey Verma

DETAILS OF VISIT

Place of Visit: Police Station Mangolpuri and K.N. Katju Marg Rohini, New Delhi

Date and Day of Visit

Date Time Day15-10-2014 10:00 AM TO 04:00 PM Wednesday16-10-2014 10:00 AM TO 04:00 PM Thursday17-10-2014 10:00 AM TO 04:00 PM Friday

Purpose of VisitFollowing were the objectives for our visit to police station:-

• To understand the structure of Police Station,• Nature of duties performed by police officer,• Hierarchy of police officials,• Knowing about case diary, maalkhana etc. ,• To see the functioning of Police Station • To observe how FIR is lodged,• Community policing role and progress,• Trends of crime and nature.

INTRODUCTION

The necessity to maintain peace and keeping law and order in the society led to the establishment of law enforcing agency in the form of Police. The word “police” is derived from a Latin word “politia” which stands for state or administration. Article 246 of the Indian constitution has made police a state subject but Delhi Police comes under concurrent list and functions under Central Government. Section 47 and 48 of Delhi Police Act empowers Commissioner of Police to remove a person out of Delhi as special power.

The police stations in Delhi are divided into 7 regions and each region is headed by Joint Commissioner of Police. Each district is headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police and each sub-division is headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police. The head of the Delhi Police Organization is Commissioner of Police. The motto is “SHANTI SEVA NYAYA”. The Delhi Police also have jurisdiction over NCT of Delhi.

The visit to Mangol Puri Police Station and K.N. Katju Marg Police Station have changed my opinion regarding police stations. They have one of the most advanced administrative systems in India. The Police is undertaking the following activities:-

Preventing the crime Controlling criminal activities Arresting the anti-social elements Maintenance of law and order Maintaining peace and tranquility Women protection Controlling traffic.

ORGANIZATIONAL SETUP OF POLICE

Director General of Police (DGP)↓

Inspector General of Police (IGP) or (C P)↓

Dy. Inspector General of Police (DIGP)↓

Superintendent of Police (SP) or (DCP)↓

Dy. Superintendent of Police (DSP) or (ACP)↓

Inspector of Police (IP)↓

Sub Inspector of Police (SIP)↓

Assistant Sub Inspector of Police (ASIP)↓

Head Constable (HC)↓

Constable

Director General of police is the head of the police department. He saw all the management of police and Inspector general is the second highest post of police. There is more then one inspector general under the director general. After that the another posts of police comes. The lowest post of police is Constable.

Inspector General of police is in charge of a zone, which comprise few ranges. Dy. Inspector General of Police is in charge of a range, which comprise a group of district. Superintendent of police is in charge of a district. Dy. Superintendent of police is in charge of sub division in the district. Inspector of police is the in charge of a police

station. Sub Inspector of police is the in charge of a smaller police station and the other officers are the staff of the police station.

PHYSICAL OBSERVATION

On entering the premises of the police station I observed the following thing:-

1) Reception: On the left hand, as we entered the main gate inside the station, there was a reception which consisted of a big wooden table. It was headed by a lady constable. It is a place from where the complaint is directed to the respective duty officer. No FIR is lodged in this section but only the entries are done.

2) Women Help Desk: To make the women feel secured and comfortable, a separate Women Help Desk has been created. A lady constable is present at this help desk who deals with the women who are either complainants or needs some information.

3) Duty Officer: Duty officer is a person who lodges the FIR and tells the respective officer about the report. He maintains the daily diary and puts entry in them. In case of cognizable offence, he lodges FIR (First Information report) while an NCR (Non Cognizable Repot) is filled in case of non cognizable offences. He also maintains the PCR calls.

4) Police Maalkhana: It is one of the most important parts of a police station. It is a room where case property is kept. A proper register is maintained fo this purpose and this is done by Moharrer Head Constable Malkhana i.e. MHC. These items are collected from the place of crime and are maintained for further trial. These items send to Forensic labs for testing.

5) Investigation room: There is a room in the police station where a person weather accused or witness can be detained for some time by the investigation officer for enquiring.

6) Record Room: All files are maintained here. The record of various offences and there details, PCR call record, bail register, FIR record and other information are maintained here.

The registers are given no. and designated by those no. only for example conviction record is maintained in register no.- 5, criminal record is maintained in register no.-9.

7) Computer Room: The FIR is now recorded in computerized form after the year of 2007. And all the data of police station saved on his website. This website is police personal website.

8) Wireless Room: The call is directed from the headquarter to the wireless room of the police station. When a crime commits then the headquarter inform in police station through the wireless in which area the crime commits.

9) Police Lock-Up: There are separate lock-ups for male and female. It is two in number. A proper sanitation facility is there. Rooms have sanitation facilities but no switchboards or fans, nails or any sharp edges which might help to commit suicide or harem themselves in any form.

There was a board on which the pictures of criminals with their details were printed. A notice board for officer’s direction was also located. There was a map also on a board which depicted the jurisdiction of the police station. Different registers were maintained for different purposes.

PERSONAL OBSERVATION It was observed from the visit that Mangol Puri is kind of sub-urban area and literacy of the localites is very low. It might be a reason for cases that are coming there which is related to rape, theft, neighborhood clashes, pick-pocketing, cheating, juveniles in conflict with law etc. On the other hand the types of crime in Rohini Sector-6 were of different types. They were mostly family disputes, husband-wife disputes, vehicle theft, house trespassing, accidents etc.

There was a separate pump house and an electrical sub-station to manage the water supply and electricity in the police station, barracks and staff quarters. There was a small temple also before the entrance gate of the police station.

The police station has now become advanced as compared to earlier. All the data of police record are now saved in computer instead of managing it in files and papers.FIRs are also lodged in computerized form for the maintenance of proper record. There were some Help line No. of ambulance, fire brigade, women help line, anti-corruption department etc. There was a separate dining hall for the CRPF officers just next to the entrance gate of the police station. However this hall was very small and was not there at Mangol Puri police station.

We saw some notice boards in police station.

Board No.1

Crime chart and details of pending investigation cases

Board No.-2

Phone numbers of senior officers

Board No.-3

Arrested persons during last 24 hours record

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The motto of Delhi Police is “SHANTI SEVA NYAYA” towards which it is approaching but slowly.

The traffic outside the police station itself was not properly maintained and there was no proper parking system. However the case was not the same outside K.N. Katju Marg Police Station. There was a proper parking system in the service lane for the visitors and complainants.

There was Women Help Desk present in police station which is a major step towards the safety and empowerment of women but there was no lady constable present at the Women Help Desk.

If we compare the physical structure of both the police stations, the K.N. Katju Marg Police Station was properly furnished and painted. There was a sofa in the lobby of the police station for the complainants. Also there was separate lounge where generally the police officers try to solve the petty disputes between family members, neighbours, husband-wife etc.

Although the police station was a no-smoking zone which was clearly mentioned at the entrance gate of the police station, some police officers on duty were smoking.

The behavior of police officers on duty was quite friendly towards us but they seemed quite care-free when it comes to the complainants.

The condition of the maalkhana was not good. The vehicles kept there seemed quite old and were totally rusted and also were not parked in an organized manner. However the maalkhana of K.N. Katju Marg Police Station was quite organized in nature.

There were 2 CRPF officers present at the entrance gate of the police station but no guard was present at the police booth which was inside the police station premises.

The staff quarters for the police officers were properly furnished, hygienic and clean but the staff quarters for the CRPF officers present there on duty were messy and were not in good condition.

The rooms of the Mangol Puri Police Station were filthy in condition. The SHO himself told us that no steps have been taken by the government towards their renovation. He himself has renovated his room on his personal expenses.

The crime rate in India is increasing day by day and in this era of computerization all the complaint are lodged electronically but in CIPA room only one police official was there who was maintaining the records.

SUGGESTIONSThe role of police is very crucial in maintaining peace, law and order in the society and also it ensures the safety of the people and works in maintaining harmony in the society. Here are few suggestions which can be adopted by Delhi Police in order to accomplish its motto of “SHANTI SEVA NYAYA”:-

Community policing also know as pro-active policing, which is recent concept, must be applied in its full spirit. People are still afraid of approaching police. Thus there is an urgent for police to be the friend of the local people.

Government must take adequate steps in reforming the physical structure of the police stations.

There must be separate departments and staff for investigation and patrolling. A Police Complaints Authority must be created to inquire into the allegations of

police misconduct and to deal with corruption. Some reforms must be done in order to improve the condition of maalkhanas and

the property which is there since ages and no one has came to claim it should be disposed off.

On interaction with the SHO, we came to know that police officers are facing frequent transfers. Therefore, a Police Establishment Board must be set up to decide transfers, postings, promotions and other services.

Smoking should not be done by the police officers in the police station premises in order to build up a healthy environment.

The computers and other electronic machinery present in the police station should be latest and well-advanced and police officers must be properly trained about their functioning.