In the aftermath of Anti CAA protests and concomitant police action in Delhi and elsewhere, the police as an organization has been vilified and libelled. The media narrative has discredited the functioning of police, called it partial, unprofessional and motivated. The vitriolic exaggeration of police aberrations by social media is unprecedented. 'Khaki' which symbolises 'sacrifice' and 'honour' has been dubbed as belligerent and diabolical. Of late there has been a venomous assault on the credibility of police as an institution. This is not to suggest that previously police enjoyed a flawless reputation but it has been battling the allegations of corruption, civil atrocities and flawed work culture among others.
One the eve of Eid last year at SVPNPA, Hyderabad, I had gone to one nearby Eidgah to offer prayers. Large number of people had poured in. After offering prayers while we were leaving through the only exit, a huge crowd accumulated with almost nobody moving. Suddenly somebody said why aren't the people in front moving. To this somebody from front replied that police is distributing gifts to people at the exit gate and that is why it is taking so long. To which the former replied," How come police which cheats and loots people are distributing gifts to public!! and everybody around had a sarcastic laugh. However, this is a less pernicious and a bygone remark considering the current spate of viciousness against the police in the country.
While this goes beyond a doubt that there are many issues in working of police which can be improved upon, but caricaturing the police personnel and bizarre mud-slinging by media won't improve the things. Though, honest leadership, positive feedback and political will can certainly undo various fall-outs. As per 2018 survey of 15,562 respondents across 22 states, the Lokniti team of Centre for study of developing societies (CSDS) found that 25 per cent of Indians trust the police (as compared to 54 per cent for army). A big reason for this distrust is the lopsided narrative generated over police by media and cinema. Even people who have never interacted with police tend to think negatively about them. For augmenting police as an institution an honest attempt of introspection is needed, followed by concerted efforts to change the things.
OWNING THE FORCE ON GROUND
Police is mandated with responsibility of preserving law and order and upholding public peace and bonhomie. To accomplish this, law has given multitude of powers to police to meet out these duties. However, there have been occasions when the police personnel on ground have gone overboard with these powers. At ground level the police force is brazenly ill-equipped and under trained. Sometimes the indifference of senior officers brings in alienation. To carve their own niche, the force on ground tends to affiliate with influential pressure groups, local leaders and seek refuge with them and act so as to fulfill their vested interests. Thus, there essentially is issue of leadership where the senior officers must own up every single person of force and give them a sense of belongingness and hold their hand before anybody else does.
THE TOUGH COP SYNDROME
A culture of machismo still permeates wherein it is believed that a police officer to be effective must be masculine and dominant. Qualities like being soft-spoken and docile are seldom seen in good spirit. However, the roughness of tone and sulky face isn't likely to increase the efficiency in the department. This mindset needs to change. Police can also render services to people not with a puckered face but with a smile. Inducting more women in the force can help. Presence of women personnel in Police station can dramatically change its overall ambience as well as style of interaction with public. Women in country constitute just 7.28 per cent of the police force. In Punjab, the picture is grimmer with just 3 per cent representation of women in entire police force.
OVERWORKED AND UNDER APPRECIATED
As per the Status of Policing in India Report-2019 by Common Cause and Centre for Study Developing Societies (CSDS), a policeman in India on average works for 14 hours a day against the scheduled 8 hours. The irregular and long working hours not only affect the physical health but also contribute to mental stress among police personnel, ultimately impacting the efficiency of force. Long drawn working hours makes a person irritated and short-tempered and deteriorates the work-life balance. Thus working hours need to be regularised In police. The much-debated idea of outsourcing non-core functions can be done.
THE MEDIA FALLACY
In a democratic set up like ours people reserve a right to express their discontent against the government as long as they don’t disrupt the life of the common man or cause damage to public property.
However, a real life situation goes beyond this theoretical proposition and decisions are to be made in fraction of seconds in a hostile and emotion driven scenario, when the thin line appears 'blurred'. While these are the testing times for any officer to maintain grit and patience, however, in case of any aberration, no stone is left unturned to showcase entire police force as biased and corrupt. Such bogus media projection of police has to stop.
Attempts should be made to churn out good relations with public through community policing initiatives.