Sansad TV Perspective: Overcoming Policing Challenges

In the series Sansad TV Perspective, we bring you an analysis of the discussion featured on the insightful programme ‘Perspective’ on Sansad TV, on various important topics affecting India and also the world. This analysis will help you immensely for the IAS exam, especially the mains exam, where a well-rounded understanding of topics is a prerequisite for writing answers that fetch good marks.

In this article, we feature the discussion on the topic: Overcoming Policing Challenges.

Anchor: Teena Jha

Guests:

1. Somesh Goyal, Former DGP, Himachal Pradesh
2. O.P. Singh, Former DGP, Uttar Pradesh
3. Dr. Surat Singh, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court

Context:  The 57th All-India Conference of Director Generals & Inspector Generals of Police.

Highlights of the discussion:

• Introduction
• Key takeaways from the conference
• Existing Challenges
• Way Ahead

Introduction:

• There is a need to make the police forces more sensitive and train them in emerging technologies. That was what Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized at the 57th All-India Conference of Director Generals & Inspector Generals of Police. 
• At the three-day conference, the Prime Minister also recommended repealing obsolete criminal laws and building standards for police organizations across states. To improve jail management, the Prime Minister suggested prison reforms. 
• Besides, he also discussed strengthening the border and coastal security by organizing frequent visits of officials. 
• Emphasizing the importance of the National Data Governance Framework, the Prime Minister said it will help in smoothing data exchange across agencies. 
• The conference also discussed a wide range of issues such as cybercrime, counter-terrorism challenges, left-wing extremism, capacity building, futuristic themes in policing and security, etc.

For more information on the conference, read here: All India Conference of DGPs and IGPs: AIR Spotlight [UPSC Notes] Download PDF

Key Takeaways from the Conference:

• It was a very professionally accomplished conference that touched upon major aspects of policing.
• It covered issues like internal securing dealing with terrorism, Maoism, radicalization, narcotics, etc.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid a lot of emphasis on cyber warriors, cybercrime, and cyber security.
• One of the very important aspects that were highlighted during the conference was the need to sensitize Police forces about the needs and concerns of the common man.
• The conference also did not lose sight of the common citizens while covering the diverse aspects.
• It should be noted that in the last few years, the Prime Minister has given a lot of importance to such conferences. For instance, he laid the foundation of Smart Policing at the Guwahati Conference. Smart policing implies the ability to understand, analyze, and use technical data in the most effective and efficient manner.
• Several other areas that were discussed and deliberated upon during the conference are crime prevention, crime detection, emergency response, women’s safety, citizen grievances, traffic management, money laundering, etc.
• The Sensitivity of the Police forces was discussed in detail. Sensitive police are very important for compassionate leadership. It takes care of the human aspect.

Challenges in Policing System:

• There is always a question of how to give enough power to the officers so that they can carry out their job efficiently while also safeguarding from the misuse of power.
• The nature of crime is changing with the emergence of the cyber world.
• There are also challenges of fake FIRs or harassing innocents due to a lack of evidence.
• Due to its geographical position, India also faces the challenge of hostile neighbors. Thus the security threat from these countries will always persist.
• In the present scenario, there is a lot of peculiarity and surprises due to new and emerging technologies that present a formidable challenge for law enforcement agencies.
• The technological challenges demand immense knowledge and innovation, innovative and efficient practices, and smart and responsive policing.
• There are also older issues like modernization, overburdened forces, high vacancies, Infrastructural issues, etc that are still lingering.
• On the technological front, India is still lagging behind many other countries. For instance, GIS mapping of all crimes is still not done.
• Some laws are completely outdated. Even the police manuals and Indian Penal Code that are still followed in India are from colonial times. It should be noted that the philosophy at that time was crowd control instead of public service.
• The coordination with leaders of advanced technology across the world is still very weak. There is a lack of technology transfer in the field of Policing systems.

Way Ahead:

• Data sharing is very important for coordination between state and central agencies.
• There should also be a framework for the seamless transfer of information and expertise between the investigating agencies and police forces to smoothen the entire procedure. In this direction, CCTNS and several other portals have been designed by the government.
• Various committees have suggested roadmaps for a better decision-supporting system. These suggestions should be timely implemented.
• There is a need for innovative solutions that can serve the policing system for the next 10 to 15 years as these will be testing times due to emerging technologies and their adaptations.
• Police forces should be trained to use modern technology like drone surveillance, GPS tracking and more, especially in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, etc.
• Police will have to strengthen their resources apart from their ways and means to deliver services to the people.
• The gaps in Human resources should be bridged by deploying technology. It is very crucial for predictive and evidence-based policing. Technology will help address the problems and make the police millennial police.
• Police personnel should be motivated and measures along the lines of Arbitration and Mediation should also be adopted at the police level to resolve the issues amicably and in real-time.
• The reforms should be holistic and at all four levels- People, Process, Technology, and Leadership.
• A multipronged strategy should be adopted to modernize the forces and motivate the personnel. A massive transformation will be required in the behavioural aspect covering trust, conduct, and professionalism.
• Trust Deficit can be addressed through measures like training, counseling, community police interface, and involvement of all the stakeholders in the society.
• Every personnel like the Constable, Superintendent of Police, Station Officers, Director Generals, etc should be empowered and made aware of the rule of law.
• Similarly, elements of compassion and empathy should be included in the training programme.
• Sharing and emulating the best practices will also help in making the system simple, easy, and friendly to the people.

Read all the previous Sansad TV Perspective articles in the link.

Sansad TV Perspective: Overcoming Policing Challenges :- Download PDF Here