Chief Minister Mr. Digambar Kamat should have shown courage and spine by pulling up his Education Minister Mr. Babush Monseratte for having publicly rebuked and ridiculed Goa's police force the way he did. How does the Chief Minister expect the Aam Aadmi to have faith in and respect for the police when his own Education Minister says he doesn't?
The statement of the Education Minister was most unfortunate, deplorable and uncalled for, casting aspersion on Goa's entire 3974 odd police force that Mr. Monseratte has from time to time used and misused for his own convenience. Needless to say, he ensured that the best of goodies were not denied to the cops who were at his beck and call. A strong and dedicated police force is vital to maintaining law and order. It is the need to preserve social order that led to the emergence of Police as an instrument of social control. A few decades ago, police constables were ranked among the least literate of government staff. The days when constables were mocked as "Sakaram's" and " Pandu Hawaldar's" are gone. The situation today has changed beyond belief. A college degree is no longer a novelty, and there are now constables with graduate degrees as well. Some with academic education way beyond that of the new Education Minister himself. This is an encouraging development. One cannot turn a blind eye to the practical problems and ground realities faced by the policemen. A policemen's job is not an easy one. The hours on the field are long. And they are battered with bricks and brickbats from all directions. Goa's territorial size has not increased but the strength of the police force has risen many folds. The police may be wielding lathis and guns but many a times they are at the receiving end. Today the constables are overworked and have to discharge their responsibilities sometimes under inhuman living conditions. A big chunk of the police force is engaged in giving security cover to the politicians who should infact withdraw from public life if they feel threatened rather than be a burden to the State exchequer on account of the astronomical expenses by way of security cover amongst other things. In 1997 the then Chief Minister Mr. Pratapsingh Rane on his return from a trip to Singapore decided on a colour change for the police force uniform and had his way. What happened next is history. It only pained the State exchequer. Today the police force lacks independence. Whether they please the politicians or follow the rule book they face the brunt either ways. It is most unprofessional and unbecoming of the politicians who have done all they can to systematically erode the authority of Goa's Director General of Police (DGP) in the matter of posting of officers. Ministers have gone to the extent of appropriating the power to assign postings of constables to Police Inspectors and even Dy SPs. The intent and manner behind depriving the DGP of his authority in such routine administrative matters is deplorable. The damage done to the status of the DGP is incalculable and unacceptable. We have a lot of good and smart policemen. But unfortunately their brains and investigative skills are in the custody of the politicians whose line they have to tow. The Goan politicians should stop their foreign jaunts at tax payer's expense and instead send young police officers on learning trips abroad to enhance their crime detection skills. Over the last three decades Goa's police force has evolved but so have the levels and dimensions of the crime to a large extent due to the uncontrolled levels of migration into Goa. In the late 70's the police were no match for the student power. Their lathis were too weak for a student force that was united and ever so vibrant. The student unions then, had no party affiliations and were above party politics. A police station was lucky if it had a jeep that needed a half a dozen people to push start it. It took hours for the police to sometimes reach the venue of student's agitation. There should be better co-ordination and association between the police force and the Goa fire services. The fire department personnel could be assigned some other tasks to assist the police while they wait for a fire to erupt. The police have to evolve people friendly initiatives. A system of involving the public through neighborhood watch groups across Goa could help make our streets safer. The traffic police should be given targets to curb the number of accidents rather than indiscriminately 'challaning' motorists. It was on the directions of the Supreme Court that State Governments were directed to create a State Security Commission to improve and monitor the functioning of the Police system. The Supreme Court was very candid that a new Police Act should wholly insulate the Police force from any pressure, whatsoever, so as to be able to secure the citizen's rights under the Constitution. The State Security Commission helps a Chief Minister get a broad-spectrum view of things as the Police and civilian bureaucracy often has a certain perspective, to which other members could add their inputs. With the Leader of the Opposition and others present, a consensus would help strengthen the Government's position, and not weaken it, as all policy decisions pertaining to the Police would have to emerge out of the Commission. Police reforms are a step in the right direction. It is not a question of giving more powers to the Police or sending more accused to the jail Instead, it is about making the Police people- friendly, and the people, Police -friendly. Police reforms will make that possible. Determining and decision-making bodies relating to Police matters should be cleansed and cleared of corrupt politicians. We need to protect the self-esteem of the police constables as well as of those who come to the police station for help Setting up of a full fledged police legal wing with regular updating of legal knowledge even to the lower-level police officers, should be a priority. It is time to make the Police force function as a professionally-competent body and not as a mere agent of the political party in power. It is very vital that politicians in power realize how important this is. In their Mission Statement Goa police have resolved to give people an efficient, law abiding and responsive law enforcement machinery. It is high time there is a concerted effort in this direction. Though we may have just celebrated the 61st anniversary of our country's Independence yet Goa's police force is unjustly and very much under the grip and clutches of the politicians much to the detriment of the Aam Aadmi. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar
