Punjab may soon have an elite force, comprising 250 police personnel well-equipped with the latest weapons and gadgetry, to tackle terror attacks, hijackings and any such crisis-situation in the State.
Announcing this, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal on Monday said that the police personnel in said force will be trained with the latest techniques, and equipped with the latest weaponry and gadgets.
“Punjab Police is the best police force in the entire country as it is courageous, strong willed and has highly educated personnel with a go getter attitude,” said Sukhbir, who also holds the Home portfolio, after handing over appointment letters to 768 police personnel, including 125 eminent sportspersons to various ranks.
Punjab, a border State, has faced terror attacks from suspected Pakistani terrorists in Dinanagar (July 2015) in Gurdaspur district and the Pathankot airbase (January 2016).
Sukhbir said that the SAD-BJP Government has recruited more than 26,000 personnel in the past eight years of the total 70,000 personnel in the State police.
He handed over job letters as DSPs to nine eminent sports persons from Punjab. Besides, 115 players were also given appointment letters in the rank of sub-inspector and constables in various wings. He also announced to recruit 125 eminent players every year in the State police.
Sukhbir said that about 25,000 personnel have been promoted in Punjab Police during the tenure of present State Government as he had evolved a policy regarding automatic promotions after eight and 16 years of service.
Coming to the women-centric measures in Punjab Police, Sukhbir announced that a SWAT team comprising women personnel would also be formed in Punjab Police. “A cadre of women in the State police have been created and total of 4,500 women have been recruited. About 200 women have become sub-inspectors in the State Police for the first time,” he said.
later interacting with the media, Sukhbir said that Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh had banned recruitments during his tenure thus robbing scores of State youth of their rightful job opportunities.
Castigating AAP, he said that this party has shunned moral norms with the induction of persons accused of rape and murderous attacks into the party fold.