There are instances galore of policemen and policewomen sent to sulking over their colleagues being transferred to their chosen places while they are being made to rot in the stagnant bogs for years. Observers say that the frustration piling up in a section of the cops is justified.
“Junior police officers of the rank of SPs are being transferred to plain districts, given their political connection while those who are shorn of such luck are being made to stay put in the hills without the least hope of things reversing. Even the senior cops are doing the same. They use their connection to stay put in one place for a longer period of time. This is something that impacts adversely on the morale of the force.
There are many who remain bogged in clerical works at police headquarters, intelligence and other departments, doing the bidding of their seniors, without chancing to experience what real policing is. They are left to remain so unless they have suitable connections to change their fate,” says an observer.
However, some of such cops say that they would prefer vegetating in one place to flattering the political bosses into managing better postings.
A woman police officer, who has been working in a hill district for years, said, “I am devoid of any political connection. As things stand now I wonder whether I would have to vegetate this way till I retire. A posting in the plain districts would elude me as I have no MlA to flatter into having things done.”
Another police officer raised a serious allegation, averringng that transfers are being fixed on the consideration of caste and religion.
The controversy was sparked off by SSP Anant Shankar Takwale being transferred for the third time to Udham Singh Nagar and SSP Rajeev Swaroop being transferred to Haridwar for the second time. “With the officers, by and large, eying posting the four plain districts, we wonder what is awaiting the hill districts in terms of policing. Those, made to stagnate there, are a demoralized lot. If such transfers continue it would smite at the basics of policing and make the hills even more vulnerable to crimes,” a senior cop said.