In conversation with a Police Constable

A police constable was very upset and demoralized and was deep into in his thought under a banyan tree. He was deeply in search of what is the problem with the Police Department of the State. In a semi-conscious state of mind one light came in front of him and gave a smile and asked, ‘Child, tell me why are you crying?’ The constable replied in crying, ‘I don’t know Lord Mother’. After a pause, the constable again replied, ‘I am very upset and demoralized Mother, I am feeling that I am in a dark world’.

‘What happened, my Child?’ asked the Bharatmata.

‘I don’t know’, said the constable in crying. ‘Everywhere there seems to be some injustice or inhuman treatment with us by the Government and the senior officers’, said the constable.

‘So you are in Police’, said the Bharatmata in smiles. He nodded.

‘Tell me the importance of police in the society’, Bharatmata asked.

‘Police is very essential part of the society or country. The role of police is diverse-they are like salt-it needs everywhere. It is called as law enforcement agency. They are the first layer of the Criminal Justice Administration, Prosecution and Judiciary are the second and third layer. Police are the protector of the weaker and marginalized sections of society from the wrath of rowdy or influential.  They are friend of a good and monster for the bad elements of the society. Almost everyone has good and bad side in their composition in some point of time or other-may be this is one of the reasons that police is half-loved in the society. However, the role of police is certainly one of the most essential in the society’, said the constable.

‘Police is indeed doing a very good job, my child’, Bharatmata said in smiling. ‘Who is a police, child?’ Bharatmata asked the constable.

‘They are the few able bodied and intelligent persons picked up from the society, trained them in an Academy for a year regarding the role of police and thereafter appoint as police. One of the most essential characteristics of police is that they are disciplined, they follow command and control. They are trained to follow the instructions given to them by the superior authority. As a result they hardly can bargain in their life, not only in official life but in their personal life as well.’ said the constables.

‘So society is very happy and indebted to the police, isn’t it my child?’ enquired Bharatmata with expecting the answer to be positive.

‘Society treats the police as per its circumstances. Most developed countries or societies in the world treats the police with due respect. Least developed societies have an unusual fear about police. The middle class society try to avoid the police. In Indian society, there is legacy of thinking that police are the part of British oppressor and not to respect police is like doing freedom fighting in the Independent India’, replied the constable.

‘That’s very unusual. Why is it so, my Child?’ Asked Bharatmata.

‘In India, there is a perception that the job of police is like a second class in comparison to other jobs. Government did not change their attitude towards Police Department even after attaining Independence of the country; only the color of the skin of the Indian Police officers has changed and rest other legacy remained same. The Police Regulation or Police Manual are of British era of 1943 or before-all of which are suppressing in nature because most of the police forces were Indian at that time also. Although new Police Act came into existence in many states but in this new Police Act nothing is comprehensive. We feel that some of the IPSs are the successor of British. They are still following the legacy of thinking that police station does not need any fund to run as they will be self-sufficient by extorting money from the society. Therefore, no extra fund should be spent on Police Stations. But this is not a fact and this should not be a fact. This is an emergency service and is the difficult one!’ said the constable.  

‘In fact, police constables are not treated as human being but a number by many officers’! State officers are being treated as police constables.’ added the constable.

‘That’s very unfair’, Said the Bharatmata.

‘Police can sense the message and so they are demoralized. There is urgent need to boast the morale of the police up by ensuring basic necessity and minimum human rights of every Police Personnel without bargaining by the individual with the system or authority’, the constable said.

‘As we are also human being, we should be allowed to visit home once in a month and it should be an official norm’, he added.

 ‘After Independence, the democratic societies have a lot of expectations from police, they expect police to be friend and their behavior to be friendly which is very justifiable- if police remains in old form then there is no meaning of saying that we are Independent. But if police is frustrated, lost their work life balance, being treated like a machine, face burden of over work  and become the victim of lifestyle related disease like diabetes, high blood pressure etc.-then it becomes very difficult to be polite, friendly especially when someone intentionally violate the rules and still argues with the police.’, said the constable.

‘Yes my child, there is some definite problem in your Police Department because Government did not focus on its improvement’, said the Lord Mother.

‘What is your understanding about solution of Police Department, my Child?’ asked the Bharatmata.

‘Lord Mother, our demand is only the basic things which are very essential for a human being or for a Department. The Police System can be improved in a far better way if we would have the followings:

1.      Contingency fund/Investigation Fund: - As Police Station is working round the clock and directly with the ground, therefore, some contingency fund is required for mitigating the urgent situation like dead body disposal, clearing of emergency road blockages due to accident or calamities in odd hours, cleaning of offices, urgent office articles or photocopy or printing of any evidentiary photographs, meeting expenses, engaging sources etc. Every time it cannot be begged before District SP offices. Source money does not reach to the Police Station at present.

2.       Weekly Off/Monthly Off: - Police does not get any Sunday or holiday. They can go to home only with the mercy of senior officers. Police are also human being. They have family. Work Life Balance is important for their family also. Just because he joined in police voluntarily this should not be a ground to deprive him from the basic needs of his family. Everybody in the districts should be able to visit their family at least once in a month except in emergency situations when an official order will be issued saying that monthly off has been suspended for this month due to that reason.

As Sunday cannot be given as holiday for all because this is an emergency service, but one Weekly Off for those who are posted in the home district should be given so that once in a week they can visit their families. Those who are posted outside their home districts they should be given cumulative 3 days holiday/Off in a Month so that they can visit their families. This particular initiative will bring the moral of the police up by many fold. Discipline or command of the police will be able to hold properly. At present many police persons try to break the rules to visit their family. But considering humanity this rule breaker are not bringing in the front for punishment. This is weakening the discipline of the force. Rules should be justifiable and it should not be broken by anybody. And if broken they should not be allowed to go without trial.

3.      Connectivity: - Every Police Station should have connected with SWAN network with a separate port which will remain open for round the clock. Because SWAN is secure and reliable. The CCTNS and other software should run only on this network. Police station should be like a light house in the society, they themselves should not be remained in the dark without connectivity. Internet will increase their awareness, knowledge and skills. Knowledge is the strongest weapon for any society. Keeping police isolated, in a dark will no longer serve the purpose of the country. Where they always need faster response they should not be remained in a backdated Radiogram technology era. Therefore, SWAN connectivity in every PS should be a must.

4.      Nomination of Central Cadre from the State cadre may be increased from the existing 33% to 49%. This will help the State Government and its employees. State Governments share should be at least 49% in all aspects.

5.      Senior officers should concentrate on the infrastructure development of various units of Police Department on priority basis. It is a fact that they won’t be able to see the whole problems of the Department by sitting in a central location but they will have to sense it by seeing the tip of the iceberg.

I believe, if these issues are resolved, Tripura Police will be one of the finest police in the country’, concluded the Constable.

Bharat Mata smiled and blessed him.

‘Thanks Lord Mother that you have listened. Nobody is listening the problem of Police.’, said the constable.

‘Don’t worry my Child, solutions will come for sure’, Lord Mother Assured, showed bid and disappeared.

The constable is feeling happy today. He is enthusiastic in work and determined to make the police the best friend and saviour of the society. Seeing his happiness the SHO felt very delighted.

Whoever are visiting the Police Station today are returning with great sense of satisfaction unlike other days when they used to return with the same sense of frustration as when they entered to the Police Station.

*****