Introduction:
• “Crime in India for 2022” report by NCRB.
- Increasing trend of crimes in the society.
- Findings- 4% increase in the crime against women & 8.7% Increase against children.
• New type of crimes- cybercrime, crime against senior citizens, environment related crimes etc.
• Trust deficit in police.
- Lok Niti and CSDS survey- Less than 25% of Indians trust the police.
- As compared to 54% for the army.
Body of the Answer
Need for police reforms.
• Low police to people ratio in the country.
- Sanctioned strength- 2.8 million in 2017 but availability- 1.9 million police officers.
- Findings- 30% vacancy rate.
• Issue of corruption in the police force.
• Psychological pressures in the force.
- Little improvements in pay scale and promotions.
- Affecting their life choices & deprivation.
- Lower rank personnel- verbally abused by their superiors or forced to work in inhuman conditions.
• Lack of technological capabilities.
- Reason- Low conviction rates in India & poor quality of investigation by police.
• Other issues- Biasedness towards political masters, Infrastructural issues etc.
Significance of reforming the police force.
• Strengthening Criminal Justice System in the country.
- Increases- capabilities of the police to investigate and put charge sheet.
- Lowering of pendency of cases in the country.
• Optimal utilization of human resources.
- More educated policemen- lower echelons.
- Tap this resource for the betterment of the nation.
• Gender sensitive police force.
- Implement- Idea of 33% women reservation in police to make it more gender neutral.
• Increase public trust & increase in complaints.
- NCRB data- Registration of cases witnessed a 4.5% decline compared to 2021.
- Reverse this phenomenon by increasing the reforms.
Conclusion.
• Implement the recommendations of 2nd ARC.
- Separate the crime investigation from other police functions- Maintenance of law and order, establishment of state police boards etc.
• Implement the “SMART’ police force plan.
- S-Strict and Sensitive
- Modern and Mobile
- Alert and Accountable
- Reliable and Responsive
- Techno-savvy and Trained.
• Timely justice depends on the capabilities of the police force.
- Need o the hour- Address the lacunae in the police & increase their capabilities.