Dear Netters, I am appending my article appeared in the Navhind Times dated 15/12/2008 on the subject of Goan Police. Feed back is requested. Goan police need a lot more from government by N CHANDRASEKHARAN Posted on 2008-12-15 The police force is an institution projecting and representing the societal authority and control in maintaining Law and Order. Originating from February attack on Panaji Police Station, followed by a skirmish at Mapusa Police Station on a bandh day; now leading to the latest attack on the police by foreigners at Mapusa on the November 25, confirm the logic that there is no fright of the police in the minds of the public. Leave alone the Police Force, no law abiding citizen of Goa or any state of the Indian Union, would accept a challenge on the authority of a force. The situation needs to be managed by a damage control exercise by the police and also by the state government, including its ministers (leaving their personal prejudices against the police force).Factors affecting the image of Goan police: In the recent past, Goan Police has been in the news continuously leading to a build up of a negative image. The cases that led to such an image and also the people behind such acts are evergreen in the memory of the public. In reality, Goan Police have a good image and it is to be reclaimed. When seen the manpower available at the disposal of the officers for deployment one could easily agree that there is no parity with the other states including the Union Territories. The police/population ratio in Goa is nowhere nearer to the comparison with the index of any other state or UT. The concept of population: With only two districts in the State of Goa, the population is always taken to be only 13-14 lakhs, totally ignoring the floating population of nearly 5- 10 lakhs of tourists (both Indian and International) landing in Goa. (It is to be viewed sensitively that still the offences involving foreigners/tourists are on the rise!) The total population for Goa should not only be reckoned based on the census figures or electoral figures; but also on the tourist population including the population brought by ships/chartered flights to our ports and airports. This is an anomaly as a careful accounting of the tourist/visitor inflow index would perhaps exceed the local population. The Changing Scenario: With the Mumbai experience and the trauma, especially when the state is poised to move towards cybertech and also to promote all types of activities including the IFFI, have we made an analysis of the types of activities that the state and the government have to handle on an average? As such, the concept of season and non-season has faded away, in Goa. Business prospects have shown improvements all around, though there is no considerable visibility. Threat perception: At the Chief Ministers� Meet, our Chief Minister proudly said �no thanks� for Central funds towards security beef up. The state has always been maintaining that there is no threat perception in Goa, out of past experience; focussing perhaps on only one aspect of terrorism related acts. There are other areas that need to be focussed and not to be missed out of sheer complacency, they are the rising crime graph, rising exposure on police inability to handle situations including crime detection, make a niche for Goa on the world tourist map, unknown offenders and unique methods, media activism. Another important aspect is that in the recent experience at Mumbai also, it has been categorically claimed by experts that any anti-terrorist attack by the forces should commence within the first few hours of terror strike. Past experience in Goa does not certify the police preparedness even to quell a primary level violence of an unarmed nature. It is essential that every officer from the rank of ASI and upwards should carry their service weapons even while on traffic duties. This is not the time to take things lightly with lathis but it is time to handle with carbines. Why should the police be blamed? It is unfair to blame the police alone. Goa has excellent policemen and officers who need to be re-oriented and re-trained to develop a �model police force.� The chain of command in the Goan police and administration gives an impression of insufficiency compared to the other states or UTs. The number of IPS officers is also considerably less and one will find that non-IPS officers are heading crucial posts like superintendent of police in this state. Why can�t the state not stake its claim to have its own IPS officers retained for Goan Police? Conferring IPS gives a lot of fillip to the morale of the police officers who render yeoman service here. With the existing ignominy and stress, with a demoralised police network, Goan Police needs a lot more from the government. This includes welfare measures for police housing, setting-up high-tech training institutes for the police at Goa, affording combat training for all the police personnel of Goa, introducing different streams of police activity like law and order, crimes, coastal policing, mounted Police (Mounted Police in Goa terrains should be a boon), flying police on helicopters, riot police, road safety police with Nokia Blackberries on their hands, forensic and finger print bureau, ATS, Q-Branch for police intelligence and so on. Expenditure on police is like an investment or insurance against unforeseen moments. Public responses: In Goa, a system has already been put in place by the Government with the Police Complaints Authority and also the Public Information system under the Right to Information Act, 2005. In respect to criticism on the police force, public restraint is required. police force in Goa has moulded itself as per the societal requirements of Goa. In changing society, it is not the Police alone, who are expected to change their mind-set but also the public, towards the police force. It is time for the police to hold a flag march at every major town of Goa to establish the grit of the police force and its unquestionable authority. With a serious note by the government, things can see a paradigm shift* with regards,
NC MAPUSA GOA _________________________________________________________________ Search for videos of Bollywood, Hollywood, Mollywood and every other wood, only on Live.com http://www.live.com/?scope=video&form=MICOAL
