The move of the director general of police, OP Singh, to deploy four inspectors in all circle police stations of the State in order to improve the law and order seems to have failed to give any positive response after which the step was now withdrawn.
However to avoid embarrassment, the top boss of the UP police tried to play it safe claiming that the step was not withdrawn but some changes have been made. ``No, the decision of posting four inspector-rank officers at the 414 circle police stations of the state with senior most designated as station house officers (SHOs) has been not withdraw”, claimed DIG (law and order), Praveen Singh, while briefing the media persons here on Monday evening. ``The only change, DGP OP Singh had made after the review of above decision that now it will the prerogative of the district police chief to post additional inspectors as per the requirement”, Singh added.
Interestingly, though UP police claimed that the decision was not withdrawn but now unlike after the earlier order of OP Singh, now it is not mandatory to post four inspectors but it will depend on the district police chief. Sources said that the decision was not taken back completely in one go just to save the UP police from embarrassment. Sources revealed that now after the review made here on Monday afternoon, the officers found the posting of four inspectors is a blunder as it is very difficult to differentiate the work allocation as well as the distribution of `collection’ also created disturbance between the inspectors. However DIG law and Order, Praveen Singh denied of all above and said that now the additional inspectors will be posted where the district police chief found the area as crime prone or having regular law and order problems.
It may be mentioned that last month in June, DG OP Singh announced that four inspector-rank officers would be posted each at 414 out of Uttar Pradesh’s 1,465 police stations in the first such arrangement in the state to ease pressure on police officers and help them deal with crime. The senior most among four inspector-rank officers at the 414 police stations will be designated as station house officers (SHOs). The other three will be the deputies and known as additional SHOs.
Singh’s circular has been sent to district police chiefs and their supervising officers, who reportedly implemented the directive soon after the Eid festival. The move was ordered on the basis of an additional director general Ashutosh Pandey-led panel’s report to Singh. Pandey at the time of launch said that the new system would be implemented at police stations where circle officers have their offices. “…there are 414 such police stations. These are generally bigger police stations….” He said they have done proper codification at the police station level for the first time. “This would ease pressure on police officers and help them in dealing with challenges we face in handling crime,” Pandey said. Interestingly Pandey ruled out the possibility of “ego clash” between SHOs of the same rank since there will be clear classification of work. “…we have clearly defined who will do what.” In a press release issued in this regard in June last, Singh said SHOs would supervise works of additional SHOs and senior sub-inspectors besides sanctioning leaves and dealing with heinous crimes and investigations.