Erosion of empathy amid policing pressures
Public display of levity amid tragedy robs the criminal justice process of the solemn assurance it owes to ordinary people
Updated At : 01:00 AM Jun 03, 2026 IST
Callous : The Coimbatore episode should compel introspection about the emotional culture of policing.
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Justice without compassion is but organised cruelty. — Thomas Aquinas
The recent controversy surrounding the conduct of police officials at a press conference held to share details of the gruesome murder of a 10-year-old girl in Coimbatore has once again exposed a disturbing aspect of contemporary policing — the visible erosion of empathy. Images of officials laughing casually and a policewoman reportedly rubbing her nails while interacting with the media, created widespread public outrage.
The issue was not merely one of optics; it reflected a deeper institutional problem. When representatives of the law appear emotionally detached from human suffering, public confidence in the criminal justice system begins to weaken.
This is not an isolated occurrence. One recalls the outrage in the US after a police officer's recorded remarks and laughter came to light following the death of an Indian-origin student in an accident involving a police vehicle. In India too, citizens often narrate insensitive experiences — policemen asking for tea in homes where a dead body lies, or officers at reporting desks chewing paan and spitting casually while listening to complaints about murder, rape, suicide or fatal accidents. Such conduct may seem routine to hardened officials, but for victims and families these moments become unforgettable symbols of institutional indifference.
Yet the matter requires balanced understanding rather than mere condemnation. Policemen daily confront gruesome realities — mutilated bodies, suicides, domestic violence, fatal accidents and crimes of shocking brutality. Constant exposure to trauma often produces emotional hardening. Psychologists describe this condition as 'compassion fatigue' or 'secondary traumatic stress'. Doctors in emergency wards, soldiers in combat zones and disaster-response personnel experience similar emotional numbing. It becomes a coping mechanism necessary for survival.
Indian policing, however, rarely acknowledges this psychological burden. Long and uncertain duty hours, lack of weekly offs, constant political and public pressure, poor living conditions and continuous exposure to conflict gradually reduce sensitivity. Many policemen work under severe fatigue and emotional exhaustion. A policeman who appears indifferent may often be psychologically drained rather than naturally insensitive.
But even then, some semblance of fellow feeling is essential. Citizens encounter the police during the darkest moments of their lives. The manner in which an officer speaks, behaves or even appears during such moments profoundly shapes public trust in the justice system. Public display of levity amid tragedy robs the criminal justice process of the solemn assurance it owes to ordinary people.
The roots of this problem also lie in the colonial legacy of policing in India. Police stations were historically designed more as intimidating centres of authority than as citizen-friendly service institutions. Even today, many police buildings remain architecturally forbidding — dark rooms, harsh barricades, stained walls and an atmosphere of fear. A victim entering such premises already feels vulnerable. Behavioural insensitivity further deepens alienation.
Some encouraging efforts have nevertheless emerged. Haryana's initiative of 'Samvedi Police' sought to emphasise humane behaviour, victim-sensitive communication and respectful public interaction. Such approaches recognise an important truth: policing is not merely enforcement of law; it is management of human distress. A police official is often the first visible representative of the State encountered by grieving citizens. His or her demeanour therefore acquires moral significance.
Reforms in police training are urgently needed. Police academies must include behavioural sciences, emotional intelligence, trauma psychology and victim communication as essential components of professional instruction. Modern policing also demands emotional literacy. Officials should learn how to address bereaved families, conduct themselves during press conferences, and understand how body language influences public confidence.
Countries like the UK and Canada increasingly train officials in trauma-informed policing, teaching them how to communicate with victims sensitively and avoid dismissive conduct. Japan's Koban policing system encourages familiarity and trust between citizens and police personnel. Scandinavian police models similarly emphasise community engagement and humane interaction. India need not imitate these systems mechanically, but their emphasis on dignity and empathy offers valuable lessons.
Institutional care for policemen themselves is equally important. Exhausted officers cannot remain compassionate indefinitely. Rationalisation of work hours, mandatory weekly offs, periodic counselling and regular leave for mental rejuvenation should become integral to police administration. Cops, too, are humans carrying emotional burdens. If they are denied opportunities for rest and recovery, emotional burnout becomes inevitable.
Police infrastructure also needs reform. Public rooms in police stations should be welcoming, clean, ventilated and equipped with basic facilities such as seating, drinking water and separate washrooms for women. Even safe homes meant for runaway couples or vulnerable women often lack proper toilets and minimum dignity-oriented facilities. Such neglect silently communicates institutional disregard for human comfort and sensitivity.
Technology can further assist humane policing. Separate victim-support desks, digital complaint systems, counselling units and citizen facilitation centres can reduce friction between distressed citizens and overburdened officers. Behavioural audits and greater accountability during public interactions may also help improve professionalism. Media interactions require particular caution.
Press conferences concerning murder, sexual violence or child deaths should follow clear protocols. Officers appearing before cameras must remember that grieving families may be watching. Casual laughter, irrelevant conversation, or visible relaxation can appear deeply offensive, even if unintended. Institutions must cultivate a culture of solemnity in matters involving human tragedy.
Society too bears some responsibility. Popular culture often glorifies aggressive policing and demands instant justice. A force constantly conditioned for confrontation cannot effortlessly transform into a compassionate civic institution. Reform, therefore, has to be structural rather than cosmetic.
Yet, one principle remains unquestionable: empathy is indispensable to justice delivery. A grieving mother approaching a police station should not feel she has entered a cold bureaucracy immune to sorrow. Sometimes even a respectful silence, a composed expression or a few words of humane reassurance can restore faith in institutions.
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It should compel serious introspection about the emotional culture of policing itself. Criminal justice systems derive legitimacy not merely from arrests and convictions, but also from the humanity aspect with which justice is administered.
The police uniform symbolises the conscience of the State. If that conscience appears amused while citizens mourn, public trust inevitably weakens. But when policing combines firmness with compassion and authority with sensitivity, the law acquires not merely power, but moral credibility.
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