Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram was very right in condemning the way police officers were being shunted and tossed around like a football by those in power. Even the Goa police force lacks any independence. It is most unprofessional and unbecoming of the politicians in power who have done all they can to over the years systematically erode the authority of Goa's Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) in the matter of posting of police personnel.
Ministers have gone to the extent of appropriating the power to assign postings of constables to Police Inspectors and even Dy SPs to SP’s. The intent and manner behind depriving the DGP and IGP of their authority in such routine administrative matters is deplorable. The damage done to the status of the DGP and IGP is incalculable and unacceptable. Today the DGP and IGP cannot even transfer or discipline a constable. 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 political pressure, whatsoever, so as to be able to secure the citizen's rights under the Constitution. Police should be allowed to discharge their fundamental duties of ensuring good law and order. For good public policing the politicians should never use the police to target their political opponents and to silence voices of dissent. The sudden and abrupt transfer of Panaji Sub –Divisional police officer (SDPO) Mr. Sammy Tavares early this year sent a very wrong message to the already sagging morale of the police force. The High Court will now decide whether Sammy Tavares’s politically motivated transfer was in violation of the directives issued by the Supreme Court by which an officer could not be transferred unless he completes two years in his posting. Mr. Mohan Naik who was posted as SDPO Panaji on 11th December 2007 in just over two months on 26th Feb 2008 was telephonically informed by SP Headquarters that he stood transferred to the Goa Reserve Police as desired by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat. It’s over 18 months and Mr. Mohan Naik has still not received an official transfer order. As the Supreme Court directives do not permit police officers to be transferred before the completion of two years in their posting, the Goa Government seems to have opted for a modus operandi by which officers themselves are being asked to apply for transfer. Recently four Police Inspectors sought transfers citing personal reasons. And the reasons are very strange. Police Inspector Dharmesh Angle sought transfer to Vasco stating that he being from Margao it causes a lot of problems working where people are known to you. Police Inspector Santosh Desai seeking transfer from Quepem stated that as Quepem is close to his native village Cuncolim it is difficult for him to function at that Police Station. Calangute Police Inspector Tushar Vernekar who resides at Verem sought transfer to Airport Immigration in Vasco on the grounds that he is unable to look after his 65 year old mother properly. Police Inspector Rajendra Prabhudesai seeking transfer from Margao Police station stated that Margao being a busy police station he is not able to look after his wife and only child and so wants to work at a less burdened police station. Politicians speak about the independence of the police and of law taking its own course. The ground reality is very different as they interfere and unduly intervene in the day to day working of the police. 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. A college degree is no longer a novelty, and there are now police constables with graduate degrees as well. Some with academic education way beyond that of some of our Ministers. This is an encouraging trend. It is time to make the Police force function as a professionally-competent body and not as a mere agents of the political party in power. Law and order is a key to the prosperity and well being of any society. A small state like Goa can maintain its peace and tranquility but the ground realities are a matter of great concern. If no immediate corrective steps are taken we may reach a point of no return. Today murders and rapes are on the increase. At times the Police lack the will to investigate because of political pulls and pressures. The Government should ponder and investigate the causes of crime. Unless we have the vision and spine to get to the root of the problem, any superficial steps would be merely cosmetic and would not provide long-term benefits. There has to be a consensus to ensure that the police get their independence and identity. It is a shame that officers over the years have been manipulated and tamed by the powers to be and that in fact the officers have no role to play except to dance to the tunes of those in power. In effect they have been bound and gagged. The frequent transfer and victimization of police officers at the instance of politicians has to stop. It affects the morale and credibility of the officers. In their Mission Statement Goa police had resolved to give people an efficient, law abiding and responsive law enforcement machinery. Independence of the police force is a must and Ministers & MLA’s should stop controlling police stations. Powers to transfer police personnel should vest only with the Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police. There is a need for a consensus amongst all political parties on the need to allow the Police Force to function freely and independently devoid of any political interference and manipulation whatsoever. It is high time there is a concerted effort in this direction. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar