PAC to scrutinise police's performance

The NGO will elicit opinion from both the police and the public

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, DG & IGP, Ajai Kumar Singh, announced that the PAC would scrutinise the functioning of the police department in the entire state by eliciting opinions from both the policemen and the public.

Responses would be collected at random from only those among the public who had first-hand experience of police’s functioning and the study would be ready within six months from now, said Dr Samuel Paul, Chairman, PAC.

When asked how different was the proposed study from the earlier ones on similar lines, Ajai Kumar Singh responded that it was the first time that a scrutiny of the department was being ascertained by an independent and expert panel. He denied that a systematic study by an independent body as such had been taken up earlier.

The study will be funded by the government and will have an allocation of Rs 20 lakhs. As far as collecting responses from the policemen was concerned, the department will send circulars to the concerned police stations asking them to cooperate with the panel. However, no policeman will be involved in the panel and the respondents will be at liberty to remain anonymous.

Asked about the relevance of such a study when policemen’s issues were already known, Dr Samuel reiterated that the study was aimed at quantifying both the known and the unknown issues being faced by the department and coming out with necessary solutions. He added that the study might well throw some surprises and induce the authorities to come out with solutions. The panel will also come out actionable policies and remedies for improving police’s performance.

People cautioned

The State police has cautioned the public against individuals and groups collecting money in the name of flood relief and stressed that any contribution in the relief work should go through the deputy commissioner or superintendent of police, only.

In a press release, the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Ajai Kumar Singh has asked the public to approach only the DC/SP for extending any help to the administration in flood relief. The concerned officials will, in turn, allow them to approach the public with proper receipt after verifying the system/procedure followed by them, he said.