Radical Change Required (December 27)
By Dr T S Gangte

"Cop, flatfoot, Flatfoot, Fuzz- even pigs, inelegant names for the police force. Given by a society that treats the upholders of the law with derision, fear, downright hatred, seldom respect or admiration.

Does our policemen deserve such arbitrary maligning? Is he a corrupt, incompetent, unjust bully, exploiting the poor and toadying to the rich? Perhaps.

But, today, let's take it from the policeman's point of view, and put the ball deep into society's court", said Deshmukh, Rajguru v: February 18, 1979: Sunday magazine: Cop hating: a public sport.

Police-public relations: It needs hardly be emphasized that a good police-public relationship is imperative which must at all cost be strengthened in order to bring about public involvement and cooperation in the continuing day-to-day functioning of policeman to make it more effective and meaningful, and to create a wholesome situation for participation of the public as are acceptable to society which will foster the cause of law enforcement. For this, it is prudent that the subject matter is dealt with from two-pronged angles.

i) How do public look upon police?
The police service in India is perhaps the most misunderstood and, therefore, the most maligned. The police are the commonest targets of criticism. The public consider it their bounden duty to cast aspersions on the police department at the slightest provocation. An angry motorist forced to halt because of traffic-jam curses the traffic constable on duty. The accused standing in the witness box pleads that he was subjected to third-degree methods by the police. Industrial workers or employees of various establishments including employees of the government who were checked from running amuck during violent demonstrations accuse the police of brutality and torture. Whatever is the grievance, responsibility is fixed on the police. These complaints may be totally unfounded. But condemnation against the police is total and too mitigating arguments in favor of the public are advanced. Slightest derelictions of duty on the part of policeman are highlighted out of proportion incommensurately by the media and the local politicians. And some officer is made the scapegoat in the bargain.

Hundreds of policemen have gallantly laid down their lives in the service of the nation, but many in the public and the press continue to look upon the police only as an over-bearing and corrupt instrument of oppression, harassment and persecution.

Much of this ill will is no doubt a hangover from the past. The police was seen by many as a minion of the colonial power during the British rule. That was, however, a lopsided appraisal of the role of police. The good work done by the police, such as, protection of life and property, had been conveniently sidelined. But this mistrust could be condoned, for India was in the thick of struggle for national freedom and the police were used to suppress the nationalists.

Protagonists of police say that every police force is rightly taught to cultivate and cherish the ideal of efficiency and unquestioning obedience to the law thereby developing upright personality. Had the police then been allowed to pursue any other course, free India would not have inherited a well-organized and disciplined police force today. Therefore, there cannot be any reason for treating the police with outright suspicion and hostility.

The job of the police in India today is second to none in its importance and the police, too, are keen to contribute its best to the progress and prosperity of the nation, by diligently fulfilling the duties as the guardian and servant of society, said Pawar, AR (Nov., 1974, vol. XXIV, p122: National Police Academy magazine). Thus, every policeman is the living embodiment of the law. He is, literally, law-in-action.

Despite this, the impression goes around that police is a job for hard, suspicious cynics and pompous, overbearing bullies, though this view is totally unjustified. Policemen, and the work they do, are looked upon with distaste and distrust because they have to deal with that section of the society which is a visible reminder of the dark and seamy side of human nature. To this view, cinemas, newspapers and fictions contribute abundantly, depicting the police as nothing better than the unsavory characters they have to deal with.

Another factor, which contribute to the unpopularity of the police, is that more than any other agency the police is criticized when it does the right thing as well as the wrong thing. They are accused of inefficiency if they deal with a situation leniently and of brutality if they adopt stringent measures, though lawful. They are criticized and condemned no matter how they act.
ii) How do police see themselves?

Much of the unhappy image of the police could be done away with, if the government and the police departments themselves make an effort to put the facts of the splendid public service rendered and the personal sacrifices made by policemen before the public. Effective law enforcement is the foundation of all good public relations, but is not enough. The good work done must be made known. This is a story that does not tell itself. Along with the inherent nobility of the police profession, the policemen's job adds much meaning, richness and satisfaction to his day-to-day life.

The legislators may make the laws but it is the policemen who ultimately put them into effect. The policeman has the most direct opportunity to help and do good to the people in distress, and to the weaker and oppressed sections of society, by apprehending criminals and anti-social characters or by acting as a check to the unlawful and oppressive activities of unscrupulous influential men who would otherwise hold the society to ransom.

The police service is not only meant to prevent crime. It also takes major role in social service. In its efforts to become a welfare state, the country is to dispense with social inequality and economic disparity. As a public servant policeman has the means to mobilize assistance from others for those who need succor. If there is a sick man needing medical assistance the policeman can arrange to send him to the hospital, if a child has gone astray, the policeman can show him the way back to good behavior. In matter of public health, the policeman can keep strict watch on sources of water supply to prevent pollution. In epidemics, he can assist in vaccination campaign and observance of necessary sanitary requirements. In fires, he has a crucial role to play. In floods or earthquakes, policeman should be the first to rush to the rescue.

Equally important is the policeman's duty in dealing with the virus of communalism that has eaten its way into the body politic of the country. It is of the highest importance that this unhappy legacy of the past should be ruthlessly dealt with wherever its ugly head is raised. No other agency is in a better position than the police not only to dispense with communal strife but also to uproot it. The police have many powers at its disposal for this noble task.

The most important role, which the police play, is that of safeguarding and maintaining confidence in the democratic process. By their effective and impartial role, the police protect the climate of political and community security within which man can be free to differ among themselves. With the spread of education the people are becoming more and more conscious of their rights and duties. For this, the police have become the touchstone for testing the spirit and quality of the civil administration of the country. The working of a police system provides a good measuring rod of the extent to which the government is democratic or authoritarian.

Another important role of the police is that is serves as a binding force for our emotionally loosely knit country on which Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru once observed, "The police force, although organized separately in each state, may be looked upon as a common police force for the country and I hope that through its work the force promotes this idea of integrity", and so was Frank Anthony found speaking in the Constituent Assembly on November 5, 1948, as,
"Whatever integrity and cohesion we may secure for having a single judiciary and a central administrative service, the integrity and cohesion will be largely stultified if the police administration is left at the mercy of local politicians".

It takes a rare quality of courage and guts to be a policeman. He has constantly to deal with treacherous and ruthless characters. The criminal plays a game in which no rules are laid down for him and no holds are barred. A soldier may find the going risky only during wartime but for a policeman risk is a part of life. Whether it is confronting goondas in the streets of chasing dacoits in the ravines of the Chambal or fighting the Naxalites in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, his life is full of risk and adventure.

The uniform adds to the charm of the service. It sets its wearer apart and makes him conspicuous. Thus, the wearer has at all times to uphold the honor and dignity of the uniform and this he can do in no other way than by making his conduct and character exemplary.

Approaches and strategies suggested: In view of the gulf of difference that exists on the police-public relations which must at all cost be abridged in order to achieve desired results, the following suggestions might be examined:

i. Attitudinal changes: One cannot teach people to be polite through court orders and threats of disciplinary action. The existing attitudes are results of a complex of factors, which include, other factors apart actual behavior of policemen on the one hand and conduct of public men in power on the other. Those people in the elite circles of society whose behavior and attitude are averse to the taste of general public of middle and lower classes of society need to go through a sea change identifying themselves with the masses, in the first place.

ii) Youth counseling: The police must concentrate on the young, and youth counseling conducted on a regular feature. Establishment of a positive relationship with this section of society could prove an effective preventive service. Already there are traditions of boys clubs, traffic controls through boy scouts, hiking and mountain climbing organizations, police-sponsored games and competitions, etc. etc.

iii) Winning public co-operation: Policemen have been working mostly depending on law, but legal provisions cannot elicit public co-operation. In our democratic polity, the police must win public co-operation. It is no doubt an uphill task to secure such willing co-operation of the public. Yet, police must work hard for a breakthrough.

iv) New climate in police organization: Without pretending to speak with authority, remedies for the organizational constraints on police performance lie in proper living and working conditions of policemen. In general, police station buildings have a forbidding aspect and the condition of lock-ups dreadful. Further, hardly any police station has a visitor's room. So, even if a well-meaning policeman was to try to be polite and courteous he has hardly anything to be courteous with.

As the objective is to create a new climate in the police organization and thereby change the style of police work police station buildings should be properly furnished, well lit and should have a separate reception room for visitors. Large police stations should have facilities for drinking water, tea, coffee, etc. etc.

v) Attention to traffic and patrol duties: In view of the very high visibility profile of policemen on traffic and patrolling duties, the West Bengal Police Commissioner observed,
"The sight of patrolling policemen is welcome to all and is regarded as a visible sign that the police are at work preventing crime and keeping a watch over their localities. Patrols are in our opinion, one of the best means of establishing good relations with the public".

vi) Communication hotline with press media: News of crime and disorder is of considerable interest to the people and therefore the press is interested in it. The police should establish a system of communication through which the authentic facts relating to crime and disorder can quickly be given to the press. If the police will not do it, then the journalists will tend to depend on whatever they can gather. In several states the superintendent of police cannot hold a press conference and the sub-divisional head office is not permitted to provide any information to the press. It has been observed that failure of police to be close towards press has been due to denial of prompt factual information to it either on the pretext of secrecy or because no regular facility exists for it. 

In case the state has not so far established such a close liaison with the press, it is expedient that it is done now. Every district SP should be permitted to deal with the press, and the police stations be allowed to give statistical details of number of crimes registered, under investigation, arrests made, cases convicted, etc. When important or sensational cases occur, brief details can be given by the police stations, subject to the four considerations for secrecy pointed out hereinabove.

(Paper presented at a seminar organized by the state police on community policing on Dec 18.)


(Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press)