Politicians and bureaucrats are not interested in bringing police reforms for better law and order situation as they want policemen to be under their control and to “salute” them always, former senior police officers told this newspaper when asked about police negligence which led to the gangrape and inhuman assault of a 23-year-old woman here on December 16.
“The first priority of a cop is to keep his political bosses happy, as they can be transferred or sacked by politicians. The cops also have to keep the bureaucracy on the right side as bureaucrats have enormous power to create problems for the police and strangle them,” said Mr Prakash Singh, former DGP of Assam.
“Certain degree of functional autonomy of the police is essential. For the past six years, the Delhi police reforms bill is shuttling between the Centre and the Delhi administration. The bureaucratic circles and the lieutenant-general’s office in Delhi have been trying to dilute the bill to legitimise the status quo,” Mr Prakash Singh said.
Former Cabinet secretary T.S.R. Subramanian said politicians readily form inquiry commissions but hardly ever pay attention to their findings.
“Right from the Dharmaveera Commission report of 1977 on police reforms, there have been several inquiry commissions and 250 administrative reforms commissions. But nobody is interested in the recommendations. The disease is known, so is the cure, but the cure is not in the interest of politicians,” he said, adding that thanks to the “malice” in the system, a policeman becomes corrupt on the day he joins service.
Former Delhi police commissioner B.K. Gupta said that flaws exist not only in the policing, but also in the slow judicial system as cases remain pending for years.
He said people are not afraid of the police and a change in this attitude is a must.
“High visibility of police force, especially during the night, and CCTV cameras in every nook and corner will make people know that they cannot get away with crime. The Motor Vehicle Act must be amended and all traffic violations must be treated strictly,” Mr B.K. Gupta said.