Need to take the people along : Police public
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 19 2016 -

Putting in that extra effort to keep the law and order situation under control is noteworthy.

This is all that more so in a place like Manipur and DGP LM Khaute has every reason to be pleased with the efforts his men are putting in.

The important question however is whether the people or rather the public share the same sentiments as the DGP or not.

Remember the police have to deal with the public at close range and the perception of the public is important.

As a senior police officer, LM Khaute must surely know this and herein arises the question of whether the State police have taken up any steps to instil confidence in the people or not.

How is the relationship between the police and the public ?

How closely has the Police Department been able to walk with the people ?

These questions may seem mundane but in a difficult place like Manipur, it becomes important to study where exactly the police stand, vis-a-vis the public.

A pity it is that this aspect of policing was not spelt out in detail by the DGP during his interaction with some media persons on March 17.

As universally understood, policing is not merely keeping the law and order situation under control but also about how well they are able to take the people along with them. This is where the behaviour of the police becomes important.

For decades, haughtiness, brute force, staged encounters, corruption etc have been the hallmark of the State police and the important question is whether any steps have been taken up to address these issues.

That the State police are stretched to their limits is understood but does this give them the license to throw their weight around, especially in public places ?

Traffic control was another point mentioned by the DGP and while he was right on track in stating that the cooperation of other departments is needed to ensure that everyone adheres to traffic rules and regulations, has he given any thought on why policemen on their fancy bikes zoom around breaking one way traffic norms ?

Has it ever occurred to the top honchos of the Police Department that the heavy traffic in the commercial areas is compounded by security personnel parking their heavy vehicles plum in the middle of the road ?

The point is, the State police may be doing its best to keep the law and order situation under control, but why has it not dawned on the consciousness of the people who matter that winning the confidence and their co-operation is half the battle won.

Given the haughtiness of the police personnel, the people are not likely to extend their co-operation thereby underlining the deep divide between the public and the men in khakis. And this is a cause for concern.