Waiting for mitra police in UK

The need for police reforms in India is long recognised. There have been almost three decades of discussion by government-created committees and commissions.

Historical Perspective

Way back in 1979, the National Police Commission (NPC) was set up to report on policing and give recommendations for reforms. The Commission produced eight reports consecutively and then dozens of topic specific recommendations. And this was followed by a Model Police Act. At that time the government did not adopt any of the recommendations. This persuaded two former DGPs in 1996 to file a PIL in the Supreme Court, asking the court to direct the government to implement the NPC recommendations. In 1998, the court set up the Ribeiro Committee which handed in its reports in 1999. This was followed by the Padmanabhaiah Committee Report in 2000 and eventually the Police Act Drafting Committee headed by Soli Sohrabjee. This committee drafted a new model bill to replace the colonial 1861 Colonial Police Act. Meanwhile, very little was ever done on the ground to improve policing or implement recommendations put forth by any of these committees or commissions.

It was only in 2006 that the court delivered its verdict in what is popularly referred to as the Prakash Singh Case. The Supreme Court ordered that reform must take place. All the states and union territories were directed to comply with seven binding directives to kick start the reforms. These directives pulled together the various strands of improvement generated since 1979. The Court also required implementation of its orders, either through executive orders or new police legislation. At first the court itself monitored the compliance of all states and union territories, however in 2008 the court decided to set up a three-member monitoring committee, with a two year mandate to examine complains, state by state and report back to it periodically.

Reforms vis-a-vis Uttarakhand

In Uttarakhand, the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA) was set up three years ago to comply with the directive. Surprisingly having no state Human Rights Commission, the PCA was the only body available for common public to put forth their complaints, against high ranking police officials or against any misconduct. According to general secretary of People's Union for Civil Liberties Pushkar Raj, who was in Doon recently to release an analytical report on the performance of the SPCA, "The greatest flaw of the SPCA was lack of co-ordination and understanding and camaraderie between members. Most ironically in all these years there were hardly any convictions or even reprimands. It was worse than a defunct body and the result is that it is now on the verge of being dissolved. Now the SPCA head, Justice Sambhunath Srivastava, is heading a new committee for the formation of State Human Rights Commission."

In any state if the police have to function well, it must take into joint cooperation civic societies and the common man. This did not happen in previous years. But now with the change of guard in the state, there is a remarkable positive scenario that is emerging.

Advocate Renu D. Singh of Samadhan, a mainstream activist organisation that is working for police and judicial reforms in Uttarakhand, states, "It is after the initiative taken by the present DGP, Jyoti Swarup Pandey, that we can expect great improvement in the working of the Uttarakhand Police, particularly with respect to training and capacity building and sensitization of police personnel below the rank of inspectors, mainly working at the Thana and Chowki levels. We can clearly see the changing trends and more of professionalism under Joshi's tenure. There is a marked difference in the work attitude and environment in the police department. He is already highly sensitised and with high respect for human rights and values for humanity."

Renu adds, "In the coming years, it will not be an easy journey for DG Jyoti swarup Pandey to overhaul the entire force. Those who are habitual violators and easily break the law in the name of maintaining law and order will find the going difficult though."

Experts point out that looking at the attitude of the police in the previous regime, civic societies felt de-motivated and discouraged to come forward to to assist in any way in the functioning of the police in the state.

It is hoped that the training of our personnel that is presently being done in Moradabad takes into consideration the state's specific needs. Uttarakhand needs its own training centre for its officials. The UP societal needs and criminal profile are quite different from that of Uttarakhand. It is high time that we have our training centre for police personnel with emphasis on human rights sensitization lessons and workshops in close coordination with civic society.

In this regard the contribution of Samadhan is praiseworthy. It has prepared a set of useful guidelines in the form of easy to understand pamphlets that are being distributed for the enlightenment of the police as well as the common men. The dream of CM Nishank's regime to make Uttarakhand a model state cannot be accomplished without police reforms, reiterates Renu. "Let's hope Uttarakhand police turns a new leaf. There must be measures put in place to make the police force happy. Only a happy police force can be a mitra police. What is required urgently is some respite for the personnel such as easy hospital and educational facilities for their families. Happiness, health and wealth when required should be top priority. Wealth means if they require treatment for a family member, they should be able to afford it. In other words the budget for the force should be enhanced."

DGP Uttarakhand J.S. Pandey says that his thrust would be twofold.

"Firstly, we have to ensure that the police have a problem-oriented approach. They should be proactive instead of just taking it as a law-enforcing issue. The force has to get out of the reactive mode. Secondly, the force must invite the participation of civic society members and try to solve problems with their help. Even within the force we should not be punishment-oriented and should take to counselling as and when required. The health of the force needs to be improved. Families of our personnel, too, have to be well looked after. Unless this happens they would not be able to devote real energy to quality work," he concludes.