Police is in want of reforms. The major issues are insensitivity of Police, Gender disparity in workforce, custodial deaths, overburdened force, ill equipped force, major emphasis on law and order control and overlooking of intelligence, undue political interference and many more. In this light, the reforms are long overdue.
Paraksh singh, former DGP of UP filed the case in SC for Police reforms and Sc gave the directives to bring reforms in Police. These reforms are as follows:
- Set up a Police Establishment Board (PEB) to decide transfers, postings, promotions and other service related matters of police officers of and below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police and make recommendations on postings and transfers above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police.
- Constitute a State Security Commission (SSC) to provide policy guidelines and ensure that the state government does not exercise unwarranted influence or pressure on the police.
Ensure that the DGP is appointed through merit based transparent process and secure a minimum tenure of two years. - Ensure that other police officers on operational duties (including Superintendents of Police in-charge of a district and Station House Officers in-charge of a police station) are also provided a minimum tenure of two years.
- Separate the investigation and law and order functions of the police.
- Set up a Police Complaints Authority (PCA) at state level to inquire into public complaints against police officers of and above the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct, including custodial death, grievous hurt, or rape in police custody and at district levels to inquire into public complaints against the police personnel below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police in cases of serious misconduct.
- Set up a National Security Commission (NSC) at the union level to prepare a panel for selection and placement of Chiefs of the Central Police Organisations (CPO) with a minimum tenure of two years.
The police have to set examples to win public trust. Reform must start at home. The Political class should take bold initiatives to bring in more reforms in the existing policing system in India. The need is to have an impartial and professional police force because the criminal justice system cannot function without a healthy police and investigative agency.