Police Accountability | The Navhind Times

The law enforcement system needs to be overhauled to regain people’s trust

Majority of the people will disagree with the ‘Citizen’s Charter’ of the Goa Police, which states: ‘The Goa Police is committed to providing the people with an efficient, law-abiding and responsive law enforcement apparatus.’

In the recently concluded meeting, several MLAs criticized the police force and demanded that the entire police system be overhauled. The Goa police really needs some fresh air. The public does not trust the police for various reasons as is evident from reports on various social media platforms and in the mainstream media.

Corruption is one of the major allegations between law-abiding citizens and the police. According to some MLAs, the drug scourge is flourishing in the state and the police have been accused of colluding with the illicit trade. The nexus between the police and the drug mafia is nothing new in Goa. A PSI was suspended for allegedly associating with the sister of an Israeli drug dealer. In 2012, a House of Representatives committee was formed, which submitted its report to the state assembly in 2013. At that time, the chairman made allegations against the son of a minister. As the nexus grows, citizens are afraid to provide information about drug trafficking to law enforcement agencies.

It is sad to see how people have lost trust in the men in uniform over the years. Not that people trusted them before, but now it is even worse. While it may be unfair to label the entire police department as corrupt and criminal, the question arises: how is the police going to change this bad public perception?

Over the last few years, the police, as part of its public outreach programme, has tried to bridge the gap between it and the public. Meetings, programmes, visits etc. are organised. Though they have succeeded to some extent, a lot remains to be done. During the Covid period, the police have done a commendable job and earned the respect of the society. However, this was short-lived. The perception of the police is such that a common man feels uncomfortable approaching a police station. Even for small jobs, people often look for ‘influence’ or a person who has contacts with the police. This is because people have seen how the police behave.

During the recent assembly, Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao said that the partial demolition of a house in Assagao and the kidnapping incident exposed the entire police department and its criminality. “We learnt the reality that the police are lawbreakers instead of law enforcers through this particular case,” he said. He also wondered why three policemen were suspended if policemen had no role in the case. Former DGP Jaspal Singh had courted controversy in the Assagao case after suspended Anjuna police station inspector Prashal Naik Dessai, in his report submitted to the Chief Secretary, accused the DGP of pressuring and threatening him for not facilitating the demolition. Singh, however, denied any wrongdoing and termed the allegation baseless and without any truth. While the case seems to have been buried under the carpet, people have come face to face with the grim reality of how the department functions. Politicians have been known to pressure police officers to act on their whims and fancies. It can be difficult for police officers to avoid such interference, but the question is whether the men in uniform are making the common man suffer by supporting the accused.

Questions also arise about the professionalism of the department. The Goa Police has one of the highest crime detection rates. But what about convictions? The issue of low conviction rate was also raised during the recent session of the Monsoon Assembly. A year ago, opposition members raised doubts about the recruitment process of the PSI and filed complaints alleging favouritism. There is no doubt that the selection of officers should be based purely on merit and there should be no room for any kind of influence. The officers should be good enough to handle cases, which then have to be taken to court and justice done. Major changes are needed in the department. The 1996 batch IPS officer (AGMUT cadre), Alok Kumar, who recently took charge as the DGP Goa Police, has a tough task ahead of him.