Police Forces - The police and public relations

Police Forces - the police and public relations- its services towards the welfare of the society - A prospective with the retrospective - A Service Oriented Organisation of the Government.

The PREAMBLE of the (Indian) Police Act, 1861 envisage -where as it is expedient to reorganize the police and to make it a more efficient instrument for prevention and detection of crime.;

It is still fresh in the minds and making us to believe that the police as in the hands of the British Rulers were like that of an "organism" and is an ‘instrument'.

As of the day, this conception is not only faulty but is not in line with the changing socialistic pattern of the society and the legislation. But, it is to be frank, and admittedly, barring a few, whatever may be go ahead formulae with the globalization for Policing for socio-friendly approach, the bureaucracy is found to be still using the System as its instrument;

The preamble of any enactment is considered to be the watch dog of the philosophy of the legislation. The line of thinking that the preamble is the watch dog and the guiding rod for any enactment is not only a historical past but it is still the present reality.

As aptly pointed out by Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, that," (The police were guardians of the poor and their success depended on their confidence, respect and the cooperation of the public. Theirs was not a Force, but a Service". This statement spells out the motto of the police organizations' set up. This applies to all the Police Forces spread throughout the World.

Former President of the United States of America, Late Mr. Nixon, while paying compliments to the police stated". Let us give them respect, respect that money cannot buy, but which they deserve; when they are trying to protect the society from those who seek to endanger or destroy it."

It is apt to quote the words of the former Prime Minister of India, Late Mr. Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru,". In India, there is a hangover of old days when the police was distrusted and considered as something apart from service in peace time."

"Certain groups and forces have combined the police and the law, not allowing law and order to be enforced and thereby respect for law and order deteriorating."

It is certainly felt that there might be some drawbacks and backlogs in the System's Organisation, which shall have to be diluted with firm and determined conviction for the safety and security of the Society and the citizens in common.

In this context, it generous to quote: Sri. S.K. Ghosh, IPS, in his book' The Light of Other Days', said"... I can say quite candidly, while majority of police officers want to be efficient and honest, and if there is an honest politician in charge, there will be an honest Police Force. It is just that simple."

Sri. D. N. Gautam, IPS, in his book ‘What is wrong with Indian Police', expressed in other words,"The Indian Police have a typical characteristic of being strong towards the weak and weak towards the strong.'

The observations made by Mr. P. Chidambaram, the then Union Minster in India, while inaugurating the second annual vigilance conference, at Chennai are also worth found to be quoted' the virus of corruption appeared to envelop the whole fabric of society and when some people tended to be corrupt, even the honest people became suspect"-(Indian Express- Daily News Paper-Hyderabad Edition, dated 22-3-1988).

Mr. D.N. Gautam quoted"...a situation legal disorder was sought and created in the police supreme and actual conducting of (Its actual duties Lost).

In the words of Mr. S.K. Ghosh,'... policing of the area is rarely thought of during the planning stage, and when Law and Order problems arise, some police posts are created hurriedly and policemen are posted overnight without providing them with adequate accommodation and facilities which are made available to workers.'

'A policeman hardly knows a Sunday or a holiday and the periods of festivals and festivities; frequent law and order problems are generally the periods of stresses and strains for him; the matters that affect a policeman's daily life are housing, medical treatment, education and family welfare. It is of vital importance to a disciplined force that its welfare affects to a great extent its moral and efficiency.'

The Police Forces and the police – public relationship, its services towards welfare of the society which are almost taken notice of by the Government, still can be improved and streamlined to a larger extent if it's working is reflected and directed by making personal contacts with the public, Societies, NGOs, Institutions' with intra-mural dialogue and mock police duty workings to know the hardships what actually a police constable to the rank of Inspector General faces in their day to day handlings of law and Order work, Crime Control, Investigation, Prosecution vis-a-vis with the VIPs, Central and State's Ministers, other dignitaries, foreign visitors, Cabinet Rank Officials and so on which involve extra-ordinary perception and patience at their camp offices, houses, dealing with their relatives and family members and the duties to be carried for more effective and result oriented so as to make the top brass take firm and decisive actions against the black-sheep.

What could be their return legacy under compressed society leadership, Hindi movie “Ardha Satya" depicts a system of police working, corrupt practices, and as to how the rightful persons are side lined, etc.

One shall have to openly agree in principle and in practice that without Police Forces there cannot be any internal law and order situation and crime control in this civilian society. The duties and functions of Army, Military Forces are entirely different and should not to be clubbed with Internal Security aspects.

Whatever be the assigned duties of other Central Civil Armed Forces, their duties and workmanship cannot be compared or compassionated with that of the States' Police Forces- their training and induction is such that resolves a human attribute relating to knowledge and skill at performing a given task..., may be for others, a learnt behaviour or passion.

Alfred Sloan, the former Chief Executive Officer of the General Motors while dealing with management concepts remarked- 'I shall not tell you what to write, what to study, or what conclusions to come to. This is your task. My only instruction to you is to put down what you think is right as you see it. Do not worry about our reaction, and do not concern yourself with the compromises that might be needed to make your recommendations acceptable.

'There is not one executive in this company who does not know how to make every singly conceivable compromise without any help from you. But, he cannot make the right compromise unless you first tell him what right is.'

The CONCLUSION IS THAT AS LONG AS OUR PHYSICAL ADDRESS AND MIND THOUGHTS ARE NOT CONTROLLED with contentment factor in day to day life span and go negative TOWARDS BAD MEANS, bad deeds for quick bucks, ill-gotten wealth and gains, assets, greed, etc., or for self wrongful gain, nothing can be successful. If everyone on the earth follows, like a true police personnel who works in line with already postulated Laws, and sanctions,  society progress with firm belief that all people are born with certain rights that can never be taken away from them> there lies the solution for happy and joyful society. Long live Police.