Assam: Police-public ratio lopsided

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The lopsided police-public ratio, both of armed and civil personnel, is one of the reasons behind poor policing in the state.

The state has around 70 armed reserved police personnel against a population of one lakh. The ideal ratio is 300 armed police personnel against one lakh population.

The situation is no better for civil police (unarmed) personnel either. The state has around 60 civil police personnel against a population of one lakh. The ideal ratio is 250:1 lakh.

The sparse deployment of traffic police personnel in Guwahati reeks of the lopsided police-public ratio. As if to cap it all, a section of traffic police personnel in Guwahati is very casual in their duty.

Besides manpower shortage, the state police force has many other problems concerning transfers, posting, leave etc. The lower-rung police personnel have to run after their officers for leave etc. However, now the government is making everything online through an App. Through the App, the police personnel will get their works —transfer, posting, leave etc. — done online, without having to meet their bosses physically.

Even they will render some of their services like passport verification online.

The police will have to telephone people concerned and hand over their accident certificates by physically going to their residences.

According to DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, the service delivery must be up to the mark. It is in tune with the government's policy of empowering civil police for an efficient and humane interface.

Service delivery will improve if police personnel get adequate training on soft skills, he said.

According to sources, the police training doesn't get as much importance it deserves. In 2018-19, the government spent only 0.91 per cent of the total police expenditure on training. The transportation facilities of police personnel in the state are also much less than the requirement.

Sources said that the armed police are scarce for the public. However, many armed personnel are in VIP and VVIP duty, besides a few high-profile people.

Also Read: Assam Police Personnel to Work 8-Hour Shifts: DGP Mahanta

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