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SPEAK JUSTICE WITH SIMRAN

CHOR POLICE

The reports of a policeman beating to death a truck driver who refused to pay a bribe are a sad reflection of the state of justice in India today. Just yesterday, there were reports of a policeman fatally shooting a man after robbing him of gold and cash. Is there hope when the enforcer of justice violates its principles?

It is not uncommon for people to be as scared of the police as criminals in India. They have power, and this power is so often misused. Personal freedom is very precious, and the police is the one agency which can take this away without justification, as least for a short while and without immediate ramifications. This creates an enormous power imbalance between the people and their guardians, the police.  These are not the first stories of police brutality – long have we heard stories of custody deaths, custody rapes and encounter killings. If anything, its only when a middle class trader is shot dead and the “it could be me” thoughts hit that we get down to thinking about issues such as these. What can be done to save this situation?

We could start with police reforms. Yes, this is a long term solution and it will take time but this rot needs to be rooted out from its core. Commonly cited solutions include raising the pay of policemen and training them with emphasis on the importance of their role in society.

Closer monitoring of the police is another point of action – there are several human rights guidelines which mandate monitoring of police stations by judges, but this rarely happens. The lock up is a place where anything goes. This has to stop.

There are also immediate methods to check this situation – by imposing severe punishment upon the wrongdoers, maybe even harsher punishment due to their position as the guardians of the law. Harsh punishments could act as a deterrent for others around them.

What can we as citizens do about this? I think there are a few things we could do: we could actively disengage and openly criticize such wrongdoers. How many times have you come across an officer (be it police, government or otherwise) who is living well beyond their means, presumably through extra legal means, and been as friendly and respectful towards such a person as anyone else? This has to stop – there must be a price to pay for this wrongdoing. If the law does not take its course, we must do all we can so as not to let such persons become comfortable in their positions. Second, we could respect the honest police officer and government officer more. This respect may go some way in helping such person resist temptation when it knocks on his or her conscience. Third, we must resist small dishonesties in our own lives to be able to criticize others.

What do you think? How can we make our police force more responsible and less of a menace?  Write to us and speak your point of view.

- Simran

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Posted on September 30, 2011 by Subhadra
  • Hejang

    Police brutality is something not infrequent in the day to day lives of the common people. They are nice to the big shot but ghost to the people who are without any hierarchical post or white collar job. Especially, contextualizing to the North East India the police, the guardian of laws, are in reality a daylight ghost and night robber. One feels uneasiness at the sight of them contrary to what they are suppose to be. In fact one has to find security and peace of mind with their presence, however, their brutality in terms of words and action detach the people’s sympathy and alignment.

    Here are few suggestion how police force should be made more responsible and people friendly:
    1. The recruitment or induction process should be clean and with strict guidelines without any room for favoritism/nepotism/bribery/corruption.
    2. Police personnel should be train in line with the importance of discipline and the responsibility they are meant for. A personnel is the product of his/her training.
    3. Effective monitoring mechanism should be establish to check the conduct of the police personnel ranging from constable to the top ranking officer.
    4. Stringent punishment to derelict officers and personnel who perpetrated brutality.
    5. Public should be conscientize on the power, role and responsibility of the police force, and any move beyond that the citizen should be trained to take recourse to court.
    6. National plaudit, in whatever form it may be, should be given to the dutiful, honest personnel.
    7. Power conferred to the police force under AFSPA should be scrapped.
    8. Political patronage to any police officer under any circumstance should not be allowed, if not many errant officers go scot-free that exacerbate the tendency of misusing the power.

  • Tarunima

    Steps such as harsher punishments and ostracising wrongdoers are methods of correction and prevention by instilling fear. I think, in comparison solutions such as increasing pay and giving respect to honest officials would be more effective. The sense of honour, integrity and dignity must be returned to these professions so that the younger generation should take these ‘professions’ seriously and considers joining them. Higher salary is an important step in this direction. Furthermore, the good side of these professions must be highlighted- their importance in nation building, the spirit of team work, etc.

  • Hejang Misao

    Police brutality is something not infrequent in the day to day lives of the common people. They are protoector of the big shot but harrasser of common (poor)people. Especially, contextualizing to the North East India the police, the guardian of laws, are in reality a daylight ghost and night robber. One feels uneasiness at the sight of them contrary to what they are suppose to be. In fact one has to find security and peace of mind with their presence, however, their brutality in terms of words and action detach the people’s sympathy and alignment.
    Here are few suggestion how police force should be made more responsible and people friendly:
    1. Effective monitoring mechanism should be establish to check the conduct of the police personnel ranging from constable to the top ranking officer.
    2. Stringent punishment to derelict officers and personnel who perpetrated brutality.
    3. Public should be conscientize on the power, role and responsibility of the police force, and any move beyond that the citizen should be trained to take recourse to court.
    4. National plaudit, in whatever form it may be, should be given to the dutiful, honest personnel.
    5. Power conferred to the police force under AFSPA should be scrapped.
    6. Political patronage to any police officer under any circumstance should not be allowed, if not many errant officers go scot-free that exacerbate the tendency of misusing the power.
    7. The recruitment or induction process should be clean and with strict guidelines without any room for favoritism/nepotism/bribery/corruption.
    8. Police personnel should be train in line with the importance of discipline and the responsibility they are meant for. A personnel is the product of his/her training.