Probity in probe

Such is the low faith in local police functioning that a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation is usually the first and foremost demand of any aggrieved party. The primary reasons are the lack of professionalism, the hold of influence on the outcome of any probe and the shortage of staff. It's not peculiar to Punjab, but the state is now trying out a model that it feels will ensure that the police concentrate in a better way on law and order duties. Punjab Police have got a separate Bureau of Investigation. All investigation staff from the level of the police station to the state headquarters will now be under a unified command and the new wing will be responsible for all investigating duties.

The staff of this wing, the government claims, will not be diverted for the multifarious tasks that are entrusted on a daily basis at the thana and even upper levels. How this results in a faster, less hassle-free and a more fair investigation process is the crux. Shortfall of personnel at police stations to enable a clear division of work would be a concern. But without attempting to change the culture that promotes interference and allows caste and class biases to determine the pace and direction of the probe at the doorstep itself, this would be just another administrative shakeup, not a structural reform.

Where the Bureau can immediately make a difference is tackling cyber crime. The training of personnel can ensure that complaints are dealt with at the local level on a common server without the time-consuming and harassing practice of referrals to the head office. There's a plan to introduce mobile forensic evidence collection units, regional forensic science laboratories and modern interview rooms. Again, these are well-thought-of steps and the police will now have less of an excuse to mess up cases. The goalpost is still the same. For any hint of change, the force has to become more responsive to public and not private needs.