In a bid to give a boost to the morale of police personnel and to improve the standard of investigation in Jharkhand, the State Government has decided to increase the number of officers at the cost of constables in police department. Presently, officer, subordinate ratio is approximately 1:5, which would be cut short to 1:2.5.
“As per the recommendations of Soli Sorabjee Committee, which suggested that the rank of constable be replaced with that of ‘civil police officer’, Jharkhand Police has also decided to create 7,000 more posts of officers after surrendering 6,500 posts of constables in the State,” said ADG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson SN Pradhan. More officials in the department will ensure better responsibility for the citizenry, added the ADG.
According to Pradhan, it will solve both the problems — number of officers will be increased and also improve the distribution of investigations and law and order in the State police.
The Sorabjee committee suggested that the rank of constable be replaced with that of ‘Civil Police Officer’ (CPO). The proposed change in nomenclature was part of a larger scheme spelt out by it for instilling a greater degree of professionalism in the rank and file.
Hence, to increase the officer-men ratio, a limited Departmental Examination (lDE) has been proposed for constables to become Sub Inspector and Assistant Sub Inspectors. “This would require minimal expenditure to the government while providing greater career opportunity to the bright, young and disciplined men to become officers. Most important criteria to take part in the lDE are absolutely spotless service record,” said Pradhan. One person will get only two chances to sit in the examination, added the ADG.
Prahdan further added that it will also be a great motivating factor for the constables and is also likely to encourage discipline and compliance in the force as 25 per cent posts of all SI in the State will eventually be recruited through this exam. Jharkhand Police presently has a total of around 4.200 officers as against 47,000 men.
Soli Sorabjee committee, which submitted an updated draft of the police bill in 2006 shortly after the Supreme Court judgment mandating police reforms, has dedicated a whole chapter to what it called the ‘primary rank in civil police’ .
It also proposed a big jump in the status of constables, who are mostly, matriculates depending more on brawn than brain to do their policing duties.
Given the need for “better educated persons to exercise discretionary powers in dealing with people and investigating cases”, the Sorabjee committee suggested that the rank of constable be replaced with that of ‘civil police officer’ (CPO).